


Pink, Not Kryptonite

by Triskellion



Category: Smallville
Genre: Alien Gender/Sexuality, Alien Technology, Multi, Pink Kryptonite, Sex Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-10
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2017-11-14 00:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 67,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/509222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Triskellion/pseuds/Triskellion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dustin just thought Clark needed to unwind and wanted to help him out. How was a Smallville jock supposed to know the new teen sex toy worked a little differently on Kryptonians than it did on humans? Well, no, it works the same way. The timeframe, however, may be a problem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Pink

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I decided to go there. I read a few interesting variations and I couldn't resist experimenting with the idea myself. I honestly don't know where this is going to go, but if the muse keeps poking my brain, I'll keep adding to it.

Chloe lit into Clark the moment he stepped through the door of the Torch, lecturing him about whatever latest slight he had perpetrated within her world view. But as soon as she actually looked at him, she stopped.

“What is that fashion faux pax?” she demanded, standing up from behind her computer to get a closer look.

“I don’t know,” Clark admitted, trying again to find a clasp in the silver chain studded with horrifyingly pink crystals.

“And you’re wearing it why?”

“Dustin caught me in the hall and threw it over my head. Said I need to unwind more.” He tugged. Maybe the links were a bit… weak.

Nothing gave.

“So he gave you a hideous pink necklace.” She got close enough to poke the pendant, a silver disk encrusted with more pink crystals. They might have been laid out in a shape of some kind, but it was hard to tell under all the pink. “How did he even get it on? This chain doesn’t look long enough to go over your head.”

“I know,” he whined. “It just fell over my head, and now I can’t get it off.”

Chloe pulled on the pendant, and again nothing gave. “You need to stop saving jocks’ lives. It brings nothing but trouble.”

Considering the mess with Whitney before he left, Clark was inclined to agree. He would have said so, but just then his stomach clenched and did a back flip, yanking his intestines along for the ride. Groaning, he doubled over, just missing Chloe as he folded.

“Clark?”

That wasn’t Chloe. Clark tried to straighten, but another convulsion hit and he sank to his knees.

“What the hell.” Pete stepped into view, eyes wide with panic.

“Watch him. Call his parents. I have to find Dustin. Now,” Chloe ordered as she bolted out the door.

“Clark, man, what happened?”

Clark shrugged as best he could half folded to the floor. He didn’t think he was going to throw up, not that he knew what that felt like. Not really. It wasn’t meteor rock. The pain was different, not coursing through his veins. But it still hurt.

“Is it meteors? Did Dustin do something?”

It was a struggle, but Clark shook his head. “Necklace,” he hissed. “Doesn’t feel like—“ He paused to gasp as his groin seemed to twist unpleasantly. 

“We’ll figure this out, man. Should I call your parents?”

“Please?”

A feeling of swelling in his chest and severe shrinkage further south was finally enough. Clark passed out.

~o0o~

Chloe ran through the halls, calling an occasional question to those she passed, looking for Dustin. The jock was a bit of an ass, but since Clark had saved his life after Jodie sucked the fat from him, he’d mostly been nice to Clark and his friends. But now he’d hurt Clark and he was going to pay.

She found him in the parking lot, laughing it up with some of his jock friends.

“What did you do?” she demanded, grabbing his arm and yanking him around to look her way.

“Whaah?” He looked blankly at her, his friends just as confused.

“To Clark. What did you do?”

Dustin, the bastard, sniggered. 

“What did you do, man?” Dan, Dustin’s friend, asked.

“Just gave him the pink, dude,” Dustin drawled to his friend. “And dudette,” he added, turning to Chloe when she yanked on his arm again.

“The pink? That hideous necklace?” Chloe demanded.

“Dude, you know better than to share the pink with someone close to Chloe,” Dan whined. “We’ll never get it back now.”

“Why would you want to hurt Clark?” Chloe asked.

“Hurt him?” Dustin protested. “I don’t want to hurt him. Just let him unwind a bit. The pink’s a bit of fun, not something to hurt anyone.” And his friends all backed him up with similar comments.

“Then why did he just come into the Torch and double over in pain?” Chloe said, crossing her arms.

Dustin finally looked worried. “Pain? The pink doesn’t hurt. That’s half the fun.”

“What… Does… It… Do?” Chloe grabbed his arm again and shook him as firmly as she could manage in her anger.

“Change your sex,” Dan said when Dustin just stared at her. 

She turned her attention on him. “What?”

“It’s a trip. Put it on and you turn into a girl, or in your case a guy. Take it off, and the effect wears off in a few hours.”

“Doesn’t hurt,” Dustin insisted. “It’s fun. Everyone’s always saying you should look at things from the other guys shoes. Well….”

“You’ve tried it?” Chloe asked.

“Twice,” Dustin said, grinning like a moron. He shot an amused glance at Dan. “Lasted a little longer the second time, but that was great. Girls really do get a lot of orgasms.”

Chloe could only stare at him for that statement. “You….” Had he really said…? “You… turned into a girl….” This was beyond meteor weird. “And had sex?”

“Yeah?” Dustin drawled. 

“With Dan?” Chloe guessed. They both turned bright red. “And you thought Clark needed to what? Get laid? As a girl?”

“Doesn’t have to be sex,” Dustin insisted. “Just thought he’d like to try something new. Even masturbating—“

“Eh, enough,” Chloe demanded, throwing her hands up to stop him. “How many of you have done this?” She looked over the group. They all glanced away, some at the ground, some at other groups of people in the lot. “My god. Has the teen population of Smallville gone insane?”

Dustin shrugged. “You can’t say we haven’t seen weirder around here.”

Chloe screamed through her teeth. “Well, you get to explain to the Kents how you killed their son.” She grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him to the Torch. If half the school followed, she really didn’t care.

~o0o~

Awareness slipped back into Clark’s brain. Something was wrong. Or if not wrong, different. Really, really….

“Clark?” Pete’s concerned, confused voice filtered through mental confusion and connected with the last memories before unconsciousness hit.

Clark’s eyes snapped open. He was lying on the floor in the Torch office. A dent in the desk beside him indicated he’d definitely hit the furniture on the way down.

“Pete?” he hissed, muscles tensing as he waited for pain to hit again. But the pain was gone.

“Clark, man… are you okay?”

He took a deep breath and considered carefully. “Feel… better,” Clark decided.

“Ummm… that’s good.” Pete’s hands flickered into view, moving hesitatingly and haltingly towards Clark. “But… dude….”

“Dude. See, he’s not dead.”

Clark turned his head towards Dustin’s voice, seeing the boy coming into the office. He rolled, and it felt all wrong. His whole body felt off balance.

“Oh, Clark,” Chloe whispered from the doorway.

“What…?” Clark looked down as he struggled to sit up. And something was blocking part of his view.

His shirt. And the pendant that was now hanging over the lumps in his shirt on a long chain.

“What is that necklace?” Pete asked.

Swallowing uncertainly, Clark skipped the lumps that shouldn’t be there and went for where there should be lumps.

“The pink is a hoot,” Dustin said, grinning even as Clark confirmed he was missing a very important part of his anatomy. 

Horrified, Clark pulled the necklace from around his neck and flung it across the room. Somehow, it didn’t shatter.

“What did you do?” he bellowed at Dustin, struggling to his feet, feet that were now too small inside his boots. Oh, that was just great. Maybe his fingers were smaller, his features more delicate. With his luck he’d have long hair now and a dainty waist. All to go with his complete and utter lack of a dick.

Who did he piss off in a past life to deserve this? Or was it all part and parcel with being an alien?

“I need a fucking user’s manual,” he muttered deeply under his breath, just as his parents appeared behind Chloe and Dustin.

“Clark?” his mother asked, wide eyed and panicked.

Could this day get any worse?


	2. It'll wear off?

“It’ll wear off in a few hours, man. That’s the fun.”

The Kents glared at Dustin, Clark most of all. Fun? Turning your friends into girls without warning was fun? What the hell had the teens of Smallville been up to lately?

Clark walked over, balancing carefully, and retrieved the necklace from where he’d thrown it. “Never again,” he snapped out, shoving the necklace in his jeans pocket. 

“Was just supposed to be a chance to unwind.”

Clark looked down at his burgeoning chest, below which was a lack of burgeoning he really didn’t like thinking about. “I don’t find agony and the sudden loss of body parts relaxing.”

Pete winced and aborted a hand moving to check that everything was still in place for him. “He’s got a point, man.”

Dustin refused to look worried. “Nah, dude. When it wears off you’ll all be angling for a try.”

“Not a chance in hell,” Pete insisted.

Chloe, however, looked curious. “Well, it could be interesting experience things the other way around—“

“Chloe!”

“But messing around with an artifact of unknown origins and purpose?” Chloe continued, ignoring everyone’s shouts. “That was stupid. Who knows what kind of long term mutation you all have now.”

“Chloe’s right,” Jonathan said. “We’ll keep the… necklace for now. It’s far too dangerous to be floating around town.”

Martha fluttered at Clark’s side, seeming uncertain where to touch, if touching was alright. “We should head home,” she said. “Before anyone else—“

“Half the school has already peered in,” Clark snapped. “But I won’t complain about getting off display. He shuddered, and winced when the shakes propagated through his chest. How did girls manage with those things hanging off their muscles?

“We’ll check in later,” Pete said, putting a hand on Chloe’s arm before she could step forward. 

She turned her attention to Dustin instead. “Yes, after I finish interrogating Dustin.”

“What? I told you all I know.”

“We’ll see.”

~o0o~

One hour later, safe at home with three slices of pie inside him, Clark was still shifting uncomfortably in his clothes. Everything fit wrong. And hung wrong. And pulled wrong.

“A bra would help with that,” Martha commented after Clark nudged his breasts, again. They kept getting in the way. He didn’t know how girls dealt with this every day. They weren’t even that big, proportionally.

“It’ll wear off long before that will help.” Oh, God, please let it wear off. He was going to have to pee soon.

“Good point. Why don’t you go ahead and do your homework. You can tackle your chores when you’re… back to yourself.”

Two hours later, Clark was trying to focus on his math homework, something that usually took seconds out of his day. But it was better than thinking about what was missing in his pants.

Three hours later he was struggling to make sense of the reading for English. Somehow his breasts kept overlapping part of the page unless he held his arms out.

Four hours later he was called down to dinner, and nothing had changed. He had breasts, and no dick, and was his hair getting longer?

“Don’t worry too much, son,” Jonathan said, trying to sound comforting. “It may just take a little longer to wear off for Kryptonians.”

Clark growled.

“I’ll need your help in the barn after dinner.”

It was hard, but Clark resisted the urge to plant his face in his plate. At least his feet were invulnerable, so loose boots wouldn’t be leaving blisters.

“Try doubling up your socks,” Martha suggested, placing a comforting hand on Clark’s shoulder.

Clark straightened, and winced as the fast movement made his breasts pull at the shift in gravity angle.

“A tight shirt,” Martha said. “Something left over from before your last growth spurt. It’ll help keep everything still.”

Jonathan looked sour at the whole conversation and Clark couldn’t blame him. He wanted to cry.

~o0o~

“It’ll look better in the morning.” That was what Jonathan and Martha had both said before bed.

Nothing had changed.

Showering was a nightmare. Clark would never be able to look his female classmates in the face again. Admittedly, not waking up with morning wood was a novel experience, but his breasts still got in the way of everything. And the conversation with his mother about the logistics of peeing as a woman… he was doing his best to forget the whole thing. Completely.

At least the tight shirt suggestion did help out, in a compress things to mostly get them out of the way, sense. But nothing was going to make working at any speed other than slow comfortable.

The only comfort was that it was Saturday. No school.

~o0o~

Martha answered the phone while her son dug into breakfast with less than his usual enthusiasm.

“Kent Farm.”

“Mrs. Kent. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“Not bother at all, Lex. How can I help?” She ignored the way Clark glanced over, eyes alight for a moment before he remembered his difficulties.

“Clark had discussed the possibility of coming over last night to watch a movie. But he never called. I wanted to call and ensure he’s doing alright.”

Martha looked at her son, frowning into his eggs. No one had thought about plans last night, not after what happened at school, though now she remembered Clark mentioning visiting Lex yesterday at breakfast.

“I’m sorry, Lex. There was a bit of an incident at school yesterday and Clark isn’t feeling well. Clark mouthed “thanks” to her, and she smiled back. “I’m sure he just forgot.”

“Understood. Might I speak with him?” 

Martha caught Clark’s attention and pointed at the phone, but he frantically shook his head. “He’s out in the fields with his father. But I’ll mention you called when he gets back.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Kent.”

They exchanged a few more friendly platitudes, but Martha’s mind was fixed on worrying about what Lex would do if he found out what was happening with Clark. The young man obsessed over her son in waves, and this latest bit of insanity could trigger a lot of trouble for her family without the insertion of a Luthor.

“I’ll call him when I’m back to normal,” Clark said when she hung up. Lost in her own thoughts, she almost jumped at the unfamiliar tone of his voice. She hadn’t noticed before, caught up in the physical changes, but his vocal range had shifted.

“That sounds quite reasonable,” she assured him, pushing back her own anxiety. “Go on, finish your breakfast and get on out to help your father.” She smiled as Clark shoveled down the rest of the plate’s contents. “Tell him I’ll be out to help in half an hour or so.”

“Sure. Thanks, Mom.” And he kissed her on the cheek on his way out the door, just a blur like always.

~o0o~

Chloe was sitting on the porch steps when the Kents came to the house to grab lunch.

“Hey, Chloe,” Clark said hesitantly. “What’s up?”

“Why don’t you join us for lunch,” Martha said. Always the perfect host, Martha.

“Clark…” Chloe froze as she took in her friend’s appearance. The shirt he wore under his usual flannel was tight enough to control the breasts that were still definitely there. And his jeans were loose and tight in all the wrong place. So he was still… well, hopefully her news would be some comfort.

“That would be great, Mrs. Kent.” Chloe pulled herself to her feet, her limbs a bit stiff from the cold. “I have some more information for you.”

“So, you have information?” Jonathan asked once they were settled in with sandwiches the size of the cows out in the field.

“I’ve been asking around. Got some names from Dustin as a starting place,” Chloe said, picking at her sandwich. How was she supposed to eat more than a few bites of that monstrosity? Except, Clark was already half way through his. Damn. How did he survive on cafeteria food during the school year?

“Dustin may think ‘the Pink’ always lasts a few hours, but I’ve spoken to a few people who’ve had different experiences.”

“Like what?” Martha asked. 

Chloe couldn’t miss how Jonathan wasn’t looking at Clark, and Martha was looking constantly. They were both worried. Clark was completely focused on his plate. Which was already empty. Peeling off another bite from the first half of her sandwich, she used her left hand to transfer the untouched half onto his place. That got her a broad grin, of the kind that had made her fall for him in eighth grade. It felt really weird to feel the usual stomach twists at that smile, when a glance down showed breasts instead of pecs.

“Umm, well, it seems to have been a popular toy around the Smallville High campus,” Chloe said, pulling her attention from Clark, who had fortunately turns his attention to the donated food. “I got two cheerleaders to admit it had lasted longer than five hours the second time they used it. And two footballers experience a full day of the change on the third use. All four of them looked pretty shifty discussing it.”

“Which doesn’t explain why Clark is still a… a girl,” Jonathan cut in, “after twenty hours.”

“No,” Chloe said. “But Jenny admitted she’d tried it once, and it took twenty-six hours to wear off. First try. So maybe it’s just different for everyone and….”

Chloe trailed off as Clark took a deep, noisy breath. “Twenty-six hours?” he muttered. Abruptly, he stood and strode out of the room. 

“Sorry, Chloe,” Martha said as they all heard the creak of the stairs. “He’s a bit….”

“It’s alright. I can’t understand why everyone has been so… enthusiastic about this. It’s so surreal. I can’t imagine….”

“None of us can.” Jonathan spat out the words as he stood, then vanished out the door, back to the fields no doubt.

“Can I offer you some pie,” Martha said politely. Her smile was as broad and welcoming as ever, but strained at the same time.

“No, thank you, Mrs. Kent. I should get back home. I just wanted… wanted to see how he was doing. I’ll call before I come over again.”


	3. Enter a Luthor

Twenty-six hours passed. And nothing changed. Clark had breasts at dinner, at bedtime, and when he woke up to tend the cows Sunday morning.

The surreal feeling of “This cannot be happening” was fairly common in his life. If he wasn’t running faster than anyone else he was lifting something no one should be able to lift or not getting injured when he should. Lex hitting him with a car took the feeling of insanity to a whole new level, but it was nothing new.

Being told he was an alien was a hell of a surprise, but even that was so easy to absorb. It explained so much despite the complete lack of actual clarification.

But this… this wasn’t an alien thing, wasn’t a Smallville meteor thing, wasn’t something his parents could talk him though. He had breasts. And no dick. His dating prospect were worse than ever, even for him, and his oldest friend could barely look at him. His parents were completely freaked. And what was he going to do about Lex if this didn’t clear up soon. Lex obsessed so easily. No way the older man would be able to resist the curiosity this little warping of the laws of physics and biology would engender.

Oh god, it had to wear off. It had to. It had to.

That was Clark’s constant mental refrain as he did his chores and hid in the loft through the entirety of Sunday.

 _It had to. It had to_ , he thought as he prepared for bed and tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in that didn’t pinch his breasts against his arms or the mattress.

The breasts were still in his way when he woke up Monday.

“We’ll call you in sick for school for now,” Martha assured him over breakfast. “Chloe or Pete can bring your homework by after so you can keep up.”

Jonathan just told him which field needed the fence repaired today.

Clark spent most of the day, his speed allowing him to still power through his chores at near normal rapidity (the slow down was because he did not have enough support and invulnerable or not, running full tilt could make his breasts bounce enough to hurt), tucked up in the loft. He had a few books Lex had loaned him that he could read through a bit slower and put some thought into the analysis. But even those couldn’t keep him entertained forever.

It was the rare time like this when he realized the only reason he had yet to go out of his mind with boredom was human interaction. Left alone, everything went too fast. He went to fast. But interacting with other people slowed him down to their pace.

Jonathan interrupted occasionally with another task, but otherwise barely looked at Clark. Martha looked, and talked, when he came in for lunch, but her eyes were so sad.

It had to wear off. It had to. It had to.

When he ran out of books, he found himself pulling the necklace out of his pocket, where he’d taken to keeping it during the day, and studying the pink crystals studding the monstrosity. There was a symbol in the shape of the crystals on the pendant, and a pattern to how they studded the chain, but he had no idea what any of it meant. Didn’t look Kryptonian at least. Pity, if it did he could just ask Jor-El. Not that he wanted anything to do with his bio-dad if he could help it.

At three thirty, Clark perked up when he noticed the sound of a car coming down the road towards the farm. Except it was not the bus, not the truck, and not Chloe’s beat up bug. No, the only person in town with cars that had that high performance hum was Lex.

Shit.

~o0o~

Lex Luthor was not used to being left behind, ignored, or forgotten, but he put up with a lot for the sake of his friendship with Clark Kent. Lies he was used to, and did not appreciate. But for some stupid reason he kept hoping that facet of their relationship would change someday.

This weekend was not, apparently, that time. After vanishing all weekend, and not calling back, it had been hard for Lex to resist checking in in person. Only knowing how _well_ Jonathan Kent would take it had kept Lex at home on Sunday. And that Lex had known he could just stop by the school and say hi on Monday.

Except, Clark wasn’t at school on Monday. And the rumors he’d overheard being bandied about the parking lot… impossible the lot of it, but clearly Clark was in trouble.

So here he was, driving up to the Kent farmhouse in defiance of all fears Jonathan related. Because he was worried about his friend. And just what was wrong with the gossip mill in Smallville.

He knocked on the doorframe, Martha visible in the kitchen as usual. But when she turned and spotted him, her smile was strained and her hands visibly jumped about with nervous energy.

“Come in, Lex. What can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry to intrude, Mrs. Kent, but I’ve been a bit worried about Clark. He never called this weekend.”

“Oh dear.” Her surprise was distressingly fake. No wonder her son couldn’t lie for shit, with this as his example. “I’m sorry. He’s been feeling poorly. I’m sure he just didn’t want to bother you or forgot because he was tired.”

Actually, Lex was a little jealous. He’d love to have a parent who loved him so much and couldn’t lie to him as easily as breathing. But none of this had eased his concern over Clark. “Is he resting? Maybe I could just pop up and say hi.”

“Oh, I don’t know—“

“Give up, Mom. Cat’s out of the bag.”

The voice was Clark’s and yet not. The sentence structure, the Midwestern drawl, that was all Clark. But the tone... the voice was an alto.

Lex turned to face the figure standing just inside the kitchen door. Tall, muscular, messy curls. That screamed Clark. But the hands were too delicate, wrists fine bones, and the breasts were hard to miss even squashed flat by a shirt three sizes too small.

“The rumors are true?” Damn, Lex had thought he had control over his tongue at all times, but Clark was good eroding his control. And that was Clark. The general shape of his face was still the same, just a touch more feminine, and lacking an Adams apple just below. 

Clark clumped into the room in boots that shifted too much on his feet (her feet?) to fit properly. The jeans were loose and baggy, but pulled a bit too tight at the hips (childbearing hips). The belt was tighter about his (her) narrow waist, emphasizing the added breadth of hip. The ribs were still about the same, well defined by the tight shirt as they usually weren’t under baggy flannel. The overshirt fell just a touch wrong through the sleeve, indicating a small shift in breadth of the shoulders.

The breast suddenly vanished in a swirl of blue and red plaid flannel as Clark pulled the overshirt closed and crossed his arms. “Stop cataloging me.”

Lex took a half step back and blinked, looking away from Clark. Martha was watching him with a degree of nervous paranoia he wasn’t used to seeing on her face. Jonathan’s occasionally, but not hers. There was no welcome there today.

“Sorry. It’s just….”

“Tell me about it,” Clark huffed. Martha stepped up beside her son and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“What are they saying in town?” Martha asked.

“I…” Lex fought the urge to shake his head or pinch himself just to check if he was dreaming. Or maybe do a blood test and see if someone had slipped him something. “I didn’t hear anything at the plant, but the high school is buzzing that Clark got turned into a girl or didn’t react well to something called, um… ‘the pink’? I was wondering if there was something loose in the school air supply.”

Clark let out a pained laugh. “I wish.”

“When did this happen?” This was impossible. Lex almost wished he had a medical kit with him. Did the change go down to the genetic level?

“Friday right after school,” Martha replied. Dustin said it was supposed to wear off in a few hours.”

Dustin. Lex filed that name away for later planning. “Obviously it didn’t.”

“Obviously,” Clark sneered. 

“And how did Dustin know it should wear off?”

“Oh, go ask Chloe. I’m not in the mood for twenty questions,” Clark snapped. “She’s been the one interviewing everyone she can get her hands on.”

“Clark.” Martha’s tone was soothing rather than correcting. Lex couldn’t blame her. Clark looked ready to put a fist through something, and if Lex was right about the teen, that would be quite something to see.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. It’s been a rough few days.”

Clark let out a pained bark of laughter.

“You have to admit this is rather… amazing,” Lex said.

“Try fucking impossible.”

“Clark Jerome Kent!”

“Sorry, Mom.”

“No, it is impossible,” Lex agreed, dropping the expletive out of respect for Martha. “I can’t even imagine what you’ve been going through, but I keep getting stuck on how. I mean, I’ve seen some crazy things in this town, but a complete sex change?”

Clark groaned. “I do not want to talk about this.”

“But, Clark, you have to admit this is an amazing opportunity—“

“To be the biggest freak in the town?” Clark snapped. “All I ever wanted was to be normal. Now look at me.” He dropped his arms and pulled the overshirt open. His eyes were flashing with anger. “If you’re so curious, you can have it.” And he flung something from his pocket at Lex.

Flashes of pink and silver were all he could identify. Lex put up a hand to catch the thing flying towards him, but watched in shock as it seemed to dodge right around his hand, increasing it’s angle of approach until it was right above him, then dropped over his head.

His eyes switched focus as the flash of pink went past them, looking into Clark’s shocked gaze.

“I didn’t mean… oh man… Lex, I’m so sorry.”


	4. It was an Accident

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little short, but I couldn't resist throwing a little more out there tonight. More coming soon. After all, Lex has a lot of research to do, and many subjects to... interview.

Clark watched in shock as the necklace he had thrown at Lex dodged right around the older man’s hand and fell over his head. It was impossible. He hadn’t meant for it to do that. But by the time he even realized it was happening, the chain was already shrinking in on itself so it was too short to get back off.

“I didn’t mean… oh man… Lex, I’m so sorry.” He felt his shoulders curling inward as he spoke. What had he done?

“Lex, you may want to sit down,” Martha coxed, moving towards Lex.

“Why?” Lex asked. “What is this?” He looked down, picking up the pendant to try and get a good angle to see it.

“Cause it hurt when it happened to me,” Clark said, moving close to. “Though Dustin said it didn’t hurt him. But… it’s going to hit in a minute or two.”

“Hit… this is how you were change?” Lex looked perplexed at the pendant. “It’s some kind of cheap jewelry. How could this cause….” He froze and Clark watched as his friend’s chest visibly swelled under his shirt.

The whole process didn’t take long, maybe a minute before the subtle shifts ended, with no apparent pain. Lex’s Adam’s apple was gone, but his face was almost identical. Breasts, small though they were, disrupted the lines of his tailored shirt, pulled at the buttons, and made his tie bulge. More delicate hands hung out of the sleeves of his jacket, and the lines of his pants were all wrong with the subtle shift of the curvature of his hips.

Switching into x-ray vision, Clark took in the changes to Lex’s skeleton, noting in a corner of his mind that there was no green glow and therefore no kryptonite taint from the change.

“You may want to drive home with your shoes off,” Clark said without meaning to when he spotted the gap around the bones of Lex’s feet inside his shoes.

Lex rocked slightly on the balls of his feet. “You have a point.” His voice came out higher, but still completely Lex. Of course, no one else could pull off a complete lack of hair the way Lex could, and still did.

The necklace, still garish and pink, relaxed it’s chain so the pendant now dangled below the curve of Lex’s breasts.

“I’m really, really sorry.” Clark felt awful. He’d been so mad at Dustin the last few days, and now he’d gone and done it to his best friend.

“As this wasn’t your intention, I refuse to blame you,” Lex said firmly, and when Clark glanced at his friend’s eyes, he saw only acceptance. Well, and a lot of curiosity. “This necklace, this is what changed you?”

“And half the teens of Smallville High from Chloe’s research,” Martha said, finally wrapping her hands on Lex’s shoulders and pushing him onto a stool. “Sit, both of you.”

“Dustin said it should just last a few hours. Chloe said she found someone who lasted twenty-six,” Clark said, sitting next to Lex. He didn’t want to think about it, but this was closer than he’d let anyone get since the change. 

“And you’re at… what?”

“About seventy-three hours.”

“Hmm, I wonder what the cause of the disparity in timeframes is. There are so many possible factors, and that’s not even beginning to take into account the nonstandard variations that Smallville seems to introduce to any situation.”

Martha slid slices of pie and cups of coffee onto the counter in front of them. “Well, your first variable is whether it wears off in a few hours. So take that thing off and eat some pie.”

Lex picked up his fork, but paused studying his hand and the way the fork settled against his fingers. “My hands are smaller.”

“Mine too.” Clark hadn’t put much attention into it, but he’d noticed the way ropes didn’t grip the same way, his gloves were too big, and silverware felt all wrong between his fingers. At least at first. He was getting used to it now.

“You said Chloe has talked to a number of people who’ve played with this… whatever this is?” Lex set down his fork and pulled off the necklace, studying the shape in the raw stones on the pendant.

“I’m sure she’d be happy to share her research,” Martha offered. “I can call her, invite her over.”

“Unless you’d rather wait… until you change back.” Clark poked at his pie, unable to hide a hint of bitterness. He was not happy about being stuck on the farm, but that was no reason to take it out on Lex. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“Under the circumstances… I understand,” Lex said. “However, with the level of unknowns, I’d rather start researching now. If you would be so kind as to call, Martha. I think my calling might just confuse her.”

~o0o~

Jonathan stomped in from the fields, his head awhirl with the madness of the past few days. Not even good honest work was going to clear his head of late. But no matter how distracted, he couldn’t miss the sight of one of Lex Luthor’s fancy cars parked out front of the farmhouse.

“Damn it,” he muttered, stomping up to the kitchen door.

“Martha,” he called as he strode in. Then froze at the sight of a bald head huddled over the counter next to his son’s tousled black curls.

“Luthor,” he hissed. No, he was not having that Luthor experiment on his son… whatever his sexual status of late.

Both heads popped up. Both topped torsos with breasts.

“This is not happening.” He turned and walked back out of the house. The cows needed feeding. Couldn’t feed themselves.


	5. Clothes make the Woman

Lex hadn’t changed back by dinner time, and Martha invited him to stay. The look on Jonathan’s face when he’d stopped in earlier almost made him politely refuse, but Clark’s pleading eyes made him stay.

Jonathan stared at his plate and refused to say a word through dinner. Which was fine because Chloe was more than happy to keep expounding upon her new won knowledge.

“We need more organized data,” Lex announced over dessert (Martha had made his favorite, sour cream and walnut apple).

“In what sense?” Chloe asked, her eyes narrowing at the potential, if unintended, slight.

“You’re asking new questions with each person as you learn more, but that means vital information may have been missed in previous interviews. We need to gather everyone known to have interacted with this… thing… together, all at once. Apply a survey, then interview those who have had experiences beyond the normal variation.”

Chloe frowned thoughtfully and nodded. “I’ve had the feeling there’s a thread I’m missing.” She tapped her notepad. “Several people definitely haven’t told me everything.”

“You lack leverage,” Lex said, unable to resist a small smirk. Leverage he had.

“So you want to… what? Collect them all that the mansion?” Clark asked. Having already cleaned his dessert plate, he was eyeing the remaining pie in the tin on the counter.

“No, that would present the wrong impression,” Lex said, thinking carefully.

“Rent out the Talon,” Chloe said.

“Precisely my thought.” Lex smiled. “I can cover food and drink while everyone remains, and use the office for interviews.”

“And just what are you going to do with the information you collect?” Jonathan asked, his tone as nasty as it ever got in relation to Luthor business. Lex struggled to hold back a sneer and reminded himself he was doing this for a Kent.

“Corrolate the data, look for causes of the outliers, and see if I can create an estimate of when Clark or I might have a chance of turning back.”

Martha smiled. Jonathan humphed and stomped off to the living room. Well, perhaps that was as much as Lex could hope for.

“You could change back any time,” Chloe insisted. “No one I’ve interviewed has taken longer than twenty-six hours.”

“That they have admitted to,” Lex said. “Besides,” —he waved at Clark— “we have one obvious outlier. As insane as my experiences in Smallville have been, I am not going to assume I won’t be one too.”

Glancing over, Lex caught a pained wince cross Clark’s face.

“I’m really sorry,” Clark started. “I didn’t mean—“

In self defense, Lex cut him off quickly. “I’m not convinced that thing didn’t just take the opportunity. Easily tested, but I don’t wish to put anyone else in our position, so we’ll refrain. Either way, I do not blame you, Clark. As I said, Dumb luck in bad situations seems to follow me around in Smallville.”

“Still, I shouldn’t have thrown it. I knew how dangerous—“

“Very well then, you owe me a boon,” Lex said firmly, watching Clark until he nodded. Then Lex turned to Martha. “For the sake of my sanity, I am going to assume for now that this will last an indefinite period of time. That assumption made, I am going to Metropolis tomorrow to get some clothes that fit. Martha, I would appreciate a women’s perspective on the… logistics.”

“I’d be happy to help.”

“Good, and Clark can come with us and get outfitted himself.”

“What?” Clark squawked. “No way. We don’t have the funds to replace my wardrobe, and not at the kind of places you shop at.”

“We’ll visit a few more… generic stores. And cost will not be a variable since I will be paying.”

“Lex, we can’t let you do that,” Martha said gently even as Clark squawked again and Jonathan came pounding back into the kitchen.

“What did you do, Luthor?”

Lex ignored him. “You can and you will. Clark did this to me, and promised me a boon.” Clark was frowning, but nodded. “And what I want is to be outfitted comfortably and a chance to see that my friend is comfortable too. I’m not going to insist on a completely new wardrobe, but a few items that fit and” —Lex gestured at his, fortunately fairly small, breasts— “some proper support may make this whole experience a bit more survivable.”

“No way. Certainly not. We don’t need anything from a Luthor,” Jonathan blustered.

At the same time, Martha nodded. “Very well. You can pick us up at nine.”

“Martha!”

“Mom!”

Chloe just chortled and muttered “Go Mrs. Kent” under her breath.

“And if you’ve already changed back by nine tomorrow?” Jonathan blustered.

Lex stared him right in the eye. “Then I will be very grateful to have my genitals back to normal and have to find another way for Clark to pay me back of the temporary loss.

“For now, I’d like to get some blood samples, so I’d best head home. Mrs. Kent, thank you for a wonderful meal.”

~o0o~

Clark didn’t much care for shopping with his mother. That wasn’t to say he didn’t love spending time with his mother. He did. But he didn’t much care for shopping in general, so adding his mother to the experience didn’t improve things much to his mind.

Going shopping with this mother after listening to his father bitch and moan about the evil of Luthors for half the night and most of the morning? Let’s just say Jonathan Kent was very lucky Clark had control over his heat vision these days or they’d be finding out of anger was another trigger. So was Lex, since it was going to take hours to burn off his mood.

Fortunately for all involved, Lex arrived just when he said he would, and seconds after Martha’s last counter argument.

“Jonathan Kent, it is our son’s fault that Lex Luthor is currently a woman. Lionel, in the same situation, would destroy us. His son, for some miraculous reason, just wants some company and permission to buy your son some clothes. Clothes he needs, badly. So you are going to sit down, shut up, and accept that we are going to Metropolis today.”

They escaped before he could stop sputtering and start ranting again.

The drive wasn’t silent, but Clark had stuffed himself in the back seat despite his mother’s objections and tuned out while Lex and Martha discussed LuthorCorp, LexCorp, the harvest, and (unfortunately) Clark. He really tried to tune out that bit.

Because he so didn’t want to think about all this. He had breasts. And no dick. And couldn’t go to school or visit with his friends or even leave the farm because how was he supposed to explain the fact that he’d been physically transformed? That was as much as he could let himself think about the issue. He definitely didn’t want to do anything that made it more real. Like a new wardrobe.

God, why did the universe hate him this much?

Their first stop, which fortunately led to a secession of conversation, was a small store with an all but hidden storefront. And despite the contents being almost exclusively women’s undergarments, the woman who greeted them recognized Lex immediately.

“My word, Lex, what happened?”

While the whole breasts issue was much more subtle under the gray sweater he was wearing today than the button up shirt of yesterday, there was still something very wrong with the lines of the fabric under the new circumstances.

“Sheril.” Lex welcomed the well dressed woman. “Let’s call it a lab experiment and leave it at that. It should wear off, but until then….”

“Of course. So kind of you to think of us.”

“There is no one more discrete in the business.”

Sheril smiled like that was the world’s biggest compliment. “Into the dressing room and top off. I’ll do the measurements myself.”

“And for my friends, please. Clark will need the works, but Martha should get something nice for special occasions.”

Clark felt himself turn bright red and he ducked his head and stood behind his mother.

“Certainly not,” Martha said. “I’m just the escort for the day.”

“Martha, please, let me get you something,” Lex pleaded. “Maybe something Jonathan might appreciate.”

Somehow they were all bundled into dressing rooms. Clark found himself stripped down, measured everywhere, and then forced into a collection of strips of satin and lace that made his skin crawl. The torture might have lasted forever, but between two bouts, Clark saw Lex pull Sheril aside and whisper into her ear for a minute. After that, the proffered undergarments were simpler and much more tolerable to a farm boy’s sensibilities.

It still creeped him out that he needed a bra.

And they were never talking about the underwear. Ever. Thongs were… evil.

Still, somehow they ended up back in the car with a bundle of bags and Clark wearing one of the plain bras. Even under his tight shirt it felt a lot more comfortable.

Two more discrete shops, for shirts, pants, and a suit, all for Lex, were followed by a late lunch. Fortunately, Clark and Martha had been plied with drinks and snacks at each shop, so Clark was merely hungry when they got to lunch instead of ready to kill a horse out of starvation.

The last stop was a mall, big enough to have a range of options and prices. Lex was a man on a mission, plowing from store to store with a strict mental list of purchases to make. Not for himself, but for Clark. And nothing Clark said did anything to limit the number of bags they left with.

He had to admit that shoes that fit, and jeans, and shirts, really did make him feel a little more comfortable in his redesigned body.

The problem was, he didn’t want to feel comfortable. Because this wasn’t his body. And he really, really wanted his own body back.

The drive home was mostly quiet, with Martha only occasionally commenting on the speed at which they plowed the highway home.

And then they were home. And Jonathan wasn’t standing on the porch looking disapproving, but that didn’t make taking all those bags of clothes that Clark didn’t want to need into the house any easier. He and Martha and Lex were all needed to carry everything to his room in one pass, but before he could think of putting things away, Martha shoed him and Lex out.

“This mess can wait. Go hang out in the barn a bit. The fresh air will do you both good. I’ll bring out some hot coffee and a snack in a few.”

~o0o~

Lex had watched Clark carefully all day as they traipsed through Metropolis. And he was worried.

The last twenty-four hours had been difficult for him. He missed not having to sit to pee, and remembering to use the women’s room in public was tricky (he’d only made it into the wrong bathroom once before his memory kicked in, and that was at the restaurant and no one had been inside to see his mistake). Clark had been stuck like this for three more days, without proper clothes and no real support. Lex’s friend was falling apart at the seams, but it seemed his parents were so far in shock that they weren’t noticing.

No, Martha was aware that something was off, but she hadn’t figured out how to correct the problem. Which was probably why Lex was now in Clark’s loft in the barn, half frozen as he waited for the area heater to put out enough warmth to thaw the space. She didn’t have an answer, so she was throwing Lex at the problem.

“Are you sure this thing is putting out any heat?” Lex asked, mostly joking as he could actually feel warmth on his fingers if he got close enough to the heater. He still felt he should have brought warmer gloves.

“Give it a few minutes,” Clark insisted distractedly, his eyes fixed out the open window. He was holding a cup of coffee only just dropped off by Martha, but wasn’t drinking it. Or showing any interest in the slices of pie she’d also dropped off.

“Clark,” Lex said, stepping up beside Clark after wrapping his own fingers around a hot cup of coffee. It was almost warm enough that way. When Clark looked over, Lex found he had no idea what to say. Lex could almost hear his father deriding him. _Luthors should always have a complete command of any situation_. Yeah, not this time, it seemed.

“Thanks for today,” Clark said after waiting a long moment. “I guess.”

“You look a lot more comfortable.” Lex had even accepted the necessity of buying more flannel and allowed almost every purchase today to be in red, blue, or yellow. Though he thought green would have gone much better with Clark’s eyes.

Despite the complement, Clark frowned. He muttered under his breath and Lex just didn’t catch it.

“What was that?”

Taking a deep breath, Clark said, “I don’t want to feel comfortable.” He gestured at himself, splashing coffee that must not have been very warm anymore onto his new shirt. “This isn’t me. Why should I feel comfortable like this?”

Lex looked Clark over, going over every detail he’d noted the day before when he first saw this Clark and comparing it to the memories he’d collected of the boy who’d saved his life. He remembered making the same comparison for himself when he’d finally gotten the chance to look in a mirror yesterday. This wasn’t him, not as he was used to or remembered, and yet it was.

“Why should you feel comfortable?” Lex asked, thinking carefully about each word he said. “Because this is you. This is your body, as best I can tell, as this is mine. Though I’m still waiting for the blood and DNA tests, everything I see, from the baldness to the scars, indicates that this is still my body.”

“Except for the….” Clark gestured at his chest. “And complete lack of…” He blushed and cupped at his groin.

“Yes, that has changed. And it feels damned strange,” Lex admitted, shifting his stance just to feel the change in how his pants hung, how things rubbed, how his underwear fit. “But I’m still me.” He tapped his head. “Just as I was still me when I lost my hair.” He slid a hand over his bald pate, a habit he was trying to break. “I got used to that change. I see no reason not to get used to this change.”

“But your baldness is permanent. This… isn’t supposed to be. Why get used to it?”

“Well, I hope it isn’t permanent,” Lex admitted. His father was out of town for the next two weeks on business, and thankfully had assented to leaving his favorite assistant, Martha Kent, behind. Which meant Clark had the support of both parents and Lex didn’t have to try to explain his new gender to his father. Which would not go well without a lot of preparation. Which Lex had already begun in case this did last for more than the next two weeks. Lionel’s blindness was not going to be enough to hide the changes Lex had endured this time. Or protect him from the rumors that were certain to run rampant after Lex went to the plant tomorrow. The staff at the manor were already looking a little wide eyed.

“But if it is, I’ll cope. And adjust.” And have a hell of a time hiding that abominable necklace from his father, but that was another matter. “And if adjusting now makes the next however long more comfortable, why not start?”

Clark looked away, his eyes tight the way they got when Lex tried to explain something that a farm boy from Kansas didn’t want to understand.

“Whether you try to adjust or not is up to you.” Lex wandered over to the table, retrieved the pie, and walked back to Clark. “But I have it on good authority that Martha Kent’s pies make everything a little better.”

Much better. Clark smiled a little, a pained, small smile, but a smile, as he claimed his plate of pie. And his shoulders dropped a little as he inhaled his food.


	6. The Talon

Chloe looked around the Talon from her spot near the doors, looked at the students she’d identified, contacted, and brought here. For Lex.

Adrenaline surged through her for a moment as she wondered if she’d just ruined the lives of her fellows, bringing them to the attention of a Luthor. A man of Lex’s power and wealth could do a lot with the knowledge of who had been exposed to that necklace. She wasn’t quite sure what, but she was sure there was something he could do.

Then she remembered the look on Clark’s face, the abject misery that was following her friend around since last Friday. It was Wedneday afternoon, and Clark was still a girl.

So was Lex.

She clapped her hands and stepped forward, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Fellow students, thank you for coming. I asked you here because all of you have information we need. Well, not me, but some of your fellows are having a bit of trouble and your experiences could help.”

“How’s Clark?” The question came from a back corner, and it took a moment of craning her neck for Chloe to identify Dustin as the source.

“He still has breasts, if that’s what you mean.” Lex stepped out of the back room where he’d been hiding as everyone arrived. Heads turned at his voice. And jaws dropped.

“May I reintroduce you all to your host for the afternoon. Lex Luthor.” Chloe stepped back to hide by the door after speaking. She’d stay in case Lex had some question or request of her, but until then she’d be more of a distraction than anything else.

“Thank you for coming,” Lex said, and somehow he seemed to single out each person for personal attention as he said it. “Chloe is correct. You all have information I need. Monday afternoon, I was accidentally exposed to the necklace I have been informed is colloquially called The Pink.”

“Monday?” a voice asked, shocked, from one corner of the room or another. The word was repeated as a murmur throughout the room.

“Monday afternoon,” Lex said. “Approximately forty-eight hours ago. But I’m not the worst effected. Clark Kent, as Mr. Crenshaw well knows, was exposed on Friday. In order to understand what is going on without exposing new people who will potentially be trapped in an alternate gender, I need to gather any and all knowledge and observations you all may know from your own experiences with this.” He held up the necklace he must have been keeping in his pocket.

Somehow the air in the room seemed to vanish and Chloe could hear everyone struggling to breath as the pink crystals sparkled in the Talon’s mood lighting. She looked around, and saw some people watching the necklace with eager eyes, even greedy. Others looked wary, nervous, and even panicky. Interesting. Looking at Lex, she had a feeling he saw everything she did, and maybe more.

“I have a questionnaire here for you all to fill out, detailing some logical questions about your experiences,” Lex said. His words echoed strangely until he tucked the necklace away. And the air in the room seemed normal again. “After reviewing your answers, I will interview some of you for further insights. Please, this is voluntary, but I hope you will all agree, to help your fellow student. And if that is not appeal enough, drinks and snacks are on me until we finish.”

Lex smiled at everyone, the look almost sweet on his more feminine features. Somehow that creeped Chloe out.

~o0o~

Four of Lana’s serving staff had been part of the group experimenting with gender variation, so Lex had promised them a bonus to serve their fellow experimenters while everyone took the questionnaire. He’d gotten their answers while everyone else was arriving. However, the main advantage to getting those four onboard was he was able to send Lana packing. As best he could tell, she knew something was up, and something was off with Clark, but none of the specifics. For Clark, he would keep her in the dark as long as possible.

Always for Clark. Lex was turning into such a sap with regard to one Kansas farmboy. If his father ever realized, Lionel Luthor would have his head. Mostly metaphorically.

If Clark’s father every fully realized, Lex might face the end of a shotgun.

Neither thought was actually helping him sort out the why and how of his new breasts, or gave him a clue about getting his proper genitals back. 

Hunched over Lana’s desk in the back office, Lex huffed as once again his, fairly small, breasts got in the way of seeing the bottom of the page he was reading. He kept pulling the questionnaires a little closer, as if that would somehow impart more information, and his breasts kept getting in the way.

It almost made him wonder how Victoria Hardwick ever got anything done. Amongst others.

Finally, a bit of information caught his eye. Going to the door, he found one of the staff behind the bar. Jenny? She looked over at the sound of the door opening.

“Andrew Miller.”

That was all he had to say. Only a minute after he sat down, a young, blond headed young man was coming through the door. Except for the brown eyes, he was appallingly similar to the jock Clark had been in competition with the previous year.

“Sir?” the young man asked hesitantly.

“Have a seat, Andrew. I called you back here to answer a few more questions. I hope that is alright.”

“I had a feeling you would, Mr. Luthor. And it’s Andy, please.”

“Lex, please. Why did you expect me to call you back?” The answer was surely obvious to both of them, but Lex wanted to understand how aware Andy was.

“Because, like you, I got stuck. Three days. It was a good thing my parents were out of town that week, or I’d have had a lot of explaining to do.”

“In some ways I admit I wish you had been required to explain,” Lex said, hoping to encourage further confidences.

Andy nodded. “I should have said something when it happened, warned others that it could last longer than advertised.”

Ah, the plaintive cry of the self-absorbed youth. Lex remembered it well. “Well, now the warning is given, not that I expect the student population of Smallville will see the necklace again.”

“I hope not. That thing is dangerous.”

“And yet you put it on.” An excellent opening. “Why?”

Andy blushed, his eyes fixed on his knees. “It’s stupid, but everyone else was doing it. And there was this girl… she wanted to try things the other way around. And that part… well, that part was fun enough, but then it didn’t wear off and I felt pretty stupid.”

“You didn’t list a name on the questionnaire, when you admitted to a sexual encounter under the influence. So to speak.” Good, the joke, flat as it was, garnered a touch of a smile.

“Under the influence. Not so much of the necklace as social pressure.”

“At least you recognize that now,” Lex said, trying to sound encouraging.

“Umm… I didn’t include the name because… well, I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble.”

Lex frowned, but quickly pulled the expression smooth. “I’d have been more worried about her getting you in trouble, given the…” Lex made a suggestive gesture. “Position you were in.”

It was a good thing Andy had left his drink, if he had one, outside. He laughed, hard, snorting as well. With a drink in hand he might well have snorted it out his nose or spilled it across the desk.

“Oh, God, that’s not funny. Not at all.” Andy lost the ability to talk again, laughter taking over.

“And yet it very much is,” Lex finished.

Andy nodded as he struggled to calm down. The laughter definitely had a hysterical edge.

“So much so…”

“I have no intention of telling her parents, schoolmates, or anyone else what you two did. I just want to make sure I have information from everyone who was exposed. She might know something no one else does.”

Rubbing the back of his neck, cheeks pink, Andy said, “Mrs. Henderson.”

“Mrs….” That didn’t sound like a student.

“My English teacher.”

Well, that added a whole new facet to this mess. “Thank you, Andy. I have a few more questions if you’d wait just a minute.”

Andy nodded, and Lex went to the door to get Chloe’s attention. This was why he’d asked the young reporter to stick around this afternoon. Though he hadn’t expected to be sending her after a teacher. He should have, but he hadn’t. Perfect, innocent, and bucolic Smallville was not, no matter what the locals liked to pretend.

Chloe’s jaw dropped, and Lex wasn’t completely sure the Torch wouldn’t be running some teacher sex scandal articles soon, but she was off quick enough. He’d have to have a talk with her about confidentiality later. And protecting sources.

“Now, Andy, my next goal is to identify possible reason you might have experienced a longer than normal period of femininity.” Lex smiled at the turn of phrase, and Andy smiled back, looking amazingly less nervous than before.

“You know, Lex, you’re alright. Not nearly as scary as my parents keep saying.”

Oh, Lex could be scary, but that wouldn’t help today. And maybe he could improve his reputation around town by buttering up a few more teens. Teens with more reputation and status that poor Clark.

Quickly, Lex rattled through his list of possible exposures, developed last night with the help of Chloe since the Kents were barely talking with him. Most looked unpromising, including LuthorCorp chemical exposure, until…

“Yeah, I was here in the meteor shower. My babysitter was killed actually, watching me in the swings in the back yard. I must have been just far enough away, or kids really do bounce back from more.” A shadow haunted Andy’s eyes, memories that nothing would ever purge.

But that wasn’t what Lex was really interested in today. “Have you ever noticed unusual behaviors or abilities relative to your fellows? Have doctors ever said you had an unusually high white blood cell count?”

“Umm, I’m not sure….”

That was a lie. “Look, I don’t want to get you in trouble with anyone, or expose you to Chloe. But she has accurately noted that strange things seem to come from those who have been exposed to the meteors.” Lex hid an upsurge of emotion as the next words slipped past his lips even as his hand slid across his scalp “I was here too. Left without my hair, and a doctor recently told me high white blood cell counts are almost normal around here without having anything to do with cancer.”

“Cancer happens too,” Andy said, his voice low. “I’ve lost two friends and know a dozen more kids… they were all here that day. Never had the doctor say anything to me. If one said anything to my parents, no one mentioned it. But weird things… yeah, I guess I’ve got an unusual ability. That, or I’m a bit crazy like the other freaks, just a bit less destructive.”

“Please….” Lex prompted.

“My stuffed animals talk to me.”

Lex frowned. How else was he supposed to react to that? “Could you explain a bit more?”

Andy chuckled. “It’s weird, I’ve never said it to anyone, never even thought about doing so, so I don’t know how to explain. Umm… my parents are never around. Never have been. I was practically raised by baby sitters, both before and after the shower. My stuffed animals were my friends, my best companions. Stupid lonely kid, I know.”

“No, I think I understand.” Lex would have welcomed the comfort of something to cuddle in his lonely childhood days and nights, but such things were unworthy of a Luthor.

“The thing was, after the shower, they talked back. Or so it seemed. Peter, my teddy bear, taught me to tie my shoes when I was five. My stuffed rabbit, Flopsie, showed me how to use the microwave and stove safely when my babysitter was too drunk to make dinner. I know it’s all impossible—“

“One of your classmates had the ability to morph so she looked like anyone she wanted. Maybe not so impossible after all.”

“Tina.” Andy nodded. “I remember her having a bit of a party trick once upon a time. I’d thought it was a game, pure imagination, but last year….”

Lex nodded. “Well, that would have been helpful to know when I was accused of bank robbery.”

Andy snorted again. “Sorry, thought it was—“

“Your imagination.”

“Yeah.”

“Do your stuffed animals still talk to you?” Not very politic, but Lex was very curious. Most of the meteor affected he met were dangerous and/or trying to kill him.

“Umm… yeah, I think so. I haven’t really let myself listen in a long time.”

~o0o~

Lex invited Mrs. Angelica Henderson to answer her questionnaire verbally, in the office, after Chloe slipped her in the back door. She was tall, trim, and had the look of a well made up model more than a teacher. A few answers of her were very interesting.

“And how many times have you used the necklace?”

“Six.”

Even the jocks Lex had interviewed had stopped after three or four times. He resisted the urge to see how she’d react if he showed her the necklace.

“Were you in Smallville during the meteor shower of eighty-nine?”

“Certainly not.” She primped her tight blond curls. “I only moved to Smallville last year.”

“How long did the change last each time you used the necklace.”

“The Pink is very consistent. Two hours changed each time.” She smiled, no smirked predatorily. “Made good use of the time, every time.”

Lex did not appreciate the way her eyes lingered on his new bust. Now he knew he’d be locking that necklace in the office safe as soon as this woman was out of the room.

“Please list those you had sexual encounters with.”

While he’d proffered promises of confidentiality when she’d arrived, as he wrote down the names she provided, and added notes when she insisted in adding a few details about what she’d done with who, he promised himself he’d have careful talks with each teen, male and female, and see just what he could do to bring this woman up on charges. He’d find something. Students should be taught, not sexually hunted by their teachers. Classmates were enough temptation for most.

He was going soft.

~o0o~

Jenny, the barista, had remained changed for five hours.

“My family moved here eight years ago.” Into a house that had been rebuilt on top of a meteor strike.

~o0o~

Dustin admitted that on his second go round with the necklace, it had lasted three hours instead of the one of the first pass.

“Nah, never spent time around the meteors. But there was the time this girl sucked the fat right out of my body. Clark saved my life that day, you know.”

~o0o~

Nicolas spent a full weekend with breasts the first time, and three days the second.

“It was fun, and my parents never even noticed. They don’t notice much of anything since the explosion killed my little sister two years back. It was intense, like woooh, with these specks of green through the flames.

“The thing is, they say she’s dead, but I still see her all the time. Follows me to school some days. I don’t know if it’s her ghost or what.”

“Is she here now?”

“Nah, Mom bakes cookies on Wednesdays afternoon. Sally always stays home to filch some. Or maybe just pretend to… I mean….”

~o0o~

Shanna spent six hours as a boy, and hated every moment.

“It was just… wrong. I mean, you were born that way, but it all felt so wrong.” She won’t stop shaking, her arms crossed over her breasts. Good size ones, much bigger than Lex’s.

He couldn’t get her to admit to anything about meteors, but he did get her address.

~o0o~

Dan tried the necklace on three times, and the change lasted about two hours each time.

“Wasn’t like I was using a stopwatch to time things, but wasn’t much longer or shorter than two hours.”

“Were you here in the meteor shower of eighty-nine?”

“Nah, we moved here three years ago. I never saw one of the famous Smallville meteors until the geology field trip last year. Those things are creepy, man.”

~o0o~

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Lex projected, drawing everyone’s attention. The tone worked, very commanding, but it still sounded wrong with his new, higher voice. “Thank you all for your patience.” He ignored the looks from Angelica Henderson, who was now sitting behind the bar to keep her away from the students, but present. No one else had named a teacher, and he hoped _this_ really was the only one who knew.

“I hope I can keep you all here a little longer. I know this is a lot to ask, but from as many of you as possible I would like to get blood samples. The change may have left residual traces in your bloodstream, and the sooner I have a chance to begin analysis the better my chances of finding something. I brought in phlebotomists, completely discrete, I assure you, who will be happy to take a quick sample. Those who were exposed to The Pink in the last two weeks are requested to go first.” He gestured at the door to the theater where he’d stashed the blood draw experts he’d ordered brought in by copter after skimming the first stack of questionnaires. He should have thought of it sooner.

“No way,” a voice called from the back. A few other uncomfortable rumbles followed.

“I know. I can only promise that the results will be completely confidential. This is for my research into understanding The Pink and my attempt to chart the length of the change verses other influences and contaminants.”

The unhappy rumbles got louder, but a few shushing sounds were added to the miasma of noise.

“As a bit of a bribe, the phlebotomists will be taking a little extra blood for the sake of STD testing.”

“What?”

Lex raised an implanted eyebrow and caught a few eyes quite intentionally. “Many of you admitted to using no protection during your sexual explorations. While pregnancy does not appear to be a concern, there is no reason to believe STDs could not have been transmitted. The tests will be done at no cost to you. If any positive result occurs, the person will be told privately and if I can find a discrete doctor to attend to the treatment, I will be happy to cover that cost as well. However, not all STDs can be cured, though rapid identification does help.”

“There hasn’t been an STD outbreak in Smallville in years.” Was that? Yes, one of the cheerleaders. She’d slept with half the football team in one gender or another. Or so she claimed.

“If everyone had stuck to Smallville, I’d still be offering testing.” Lex paused a moment and let that sink in. Three students had admitted to visiting Metropolis with the necklace, and to being less than careful, though they had been more careful than a lot. He saw more than three blushing cheeks though. “One exposed individual, with the way you all partner swapped, could have infected half the school.

“But, again, this is not required. I simply am offering a service in exchange for data I need.”

The line began forming at the theater doors, though many still lingered at tables. Chloe, lurking by the outside doors, turned one or two away with a firm, angry look.

Lex turned to the bar and approached Angelica Henderson. He would get her blood if he had to tie her to the chair to get it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has one more scene that is fighting with me and incomplete. I wanted to post something before I vanished for the next week and a half on vacation. So the first thing I'll add when I get back is that last scene, then we'll get into the rest of the story. (unless something finally clicks tomorrow between everything else I have to do, in which case I'll update tomorrow). I hope you'll all stick around with some patience until when I get back.
> 
> UPDATE: This chapter has been expanded and reworked a little to fit a small change (The scene I'd meant to end this chapter will now be in a chapter or two. Clark was being too calm about everything all of the sudden). Enjoy the new material.

Clark had spent the afternoon trying not to pace through the floors of the farmhouse. He’d run out of chores yesterday other than the basics that had to be dealt with daily. Lex had invited him to come to the Talon, but he’d chickened out. Enough of his schoolmates had seen him that first day, through the door of the Torch. He couldn’t face more of them.

Except he was bored, and wanted to know what Lex had learned. It was a near thing, but he held out, and didn’t call Lex until after Chloe had called to let him know that the meeting was over.

“Clark, how are you?”

“Still… you know. You?”

Lex chuckled into the mouthpiece. It was his phone in the office rather than his cell. Clark recognized the slight buzz in the microphone when Lex breathed over it. “The same.”

“So… Chloe called. Said you collected a lot of questionnaires. And blood?”

“To check for foreign elements left in the blood, or signs of damage to genetic code. Or… well, anything I can think of. We’re talking about something that’s completely alien to known science. We have to try everything.”

Clark froze when Lex used the word ‘alien,’ and he was glad that Lex wasn’t there to see. The necklace wasn’t Kryptonian, he didn’t think, so this didn’t refer to him. “You said… Monday, that you wanted to get a blood sample.”

“I’ve taken one twice a day since. I have a few, very discrete, scientists from Cadmus Labs going over everything.”

There was an eager, excited tone to Lex’s voice. It made Clark smile even as a shiver ran down his spine at the thought of labs. But Lex hadn’t asked for his blood, not yet, and as long as Lex didn’t bring it up, Clark would stay mum. “You sound like you found something.”

“Maybe. The samples from you crazed schoolmates are on their way now, but they think they’ve found a foreign compound in my samples. They’re still trying to isolate the specifics—“

“Alright,” Clark cut him off, laughing lightly.

“What?” Lex protested.

“I know you, Lex. If I don’t stop you, you’ll go on all night.”

“And it’s not exactly your area. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m glad they think they found something. Any preliminary thoughts from the interviews?”

“I have a lot of details to correlate,” Lex hedged. He was hiding something, but Clark didn’t know what. “Give me a day or two.”

“Okay.”

“Oh, on a different note, do you have a Mrs. Henderson for English?”

“No… Is she the new teacher? I think she teaches Junior English, so maybe next year.”

“Do yourself a favor and avoid her, in the halls or in the classroom.”

“Lex?”

“Just… please.”

“Alright. I’ll avoid her.”

“Thank you, Clark. Hopefully we’ll deal with her…” Lex trailed off, and Clark heard the sound of footsteps and the door opening distantly down the phone line. “I need to call you back.”

Before Clark could reply, the line clicked closed. He could only hang up his end and wonder what was happening over at the Luthor manor.

~o0o~

“Helen. Welcome back.” As Lex stood to welcome his girlfriend, he kicked himself internally, wondering how he could have forgotten that she was due home today. “How was your conference.”

She did not cross the room to meet him, freezing several steps inside the door and studying him. “What the hell?”

“Ah… sorry, it must be a bit of a shock.”

“A shock?” Her voice hit an unpleasant high note. “You’re… you’re…”

“Female?”

“How?”

“An accident.”

“An accident?” Helen took two steps forward, then stalled again. “You have breasts. And no Adam’s apple. You’re female, physically. At least, all the bits I can see.”

“And all those you can’t,” Lex admitted.

“Have you done genetic testing?”

“I register as XX. Genetically female.”

“You’re a woman.”

“For now.”

“For now? How can you… you’re a woman.”

“The researchers I have looking into it have isolated a foreign compound in my blood. It’s been decreasing steadily. We theorize that when it reaches a certain level, I’ll revert.”

“Theorize? I don’t know how you managed to change yourself genetically and physically. I can’t imagine how you think it will just wear off.”

 _Because it has for everyone else._ That was what he meant to say. He even opened his mouth to speak, but the words would not come out. What was wrong with him. He’d shared these secrets with half the teen population of the town. Why couldn’t he say so to Helen?

“I can’t deal with this.” She turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. Lex had to get to an undignified trot to catch her before she reached the door.

“I’m sorry I didn’t warn you. I’d hoped it would wear off sooner. But it won’t be long,” he said quickly as he caught her arm.

Helen yanked her arm free and backed away. “I know there is a lot of strangeness in this town. I thought I could deal. But not with this. Bad enough you’ve been changed like this, but you don’t even care. How can you not care?” 

Her words shocked him so badly that Lex failed to follow until long after her car was down the drive. He could drive to her home, but what could he possibly say? Maybe if he waited until after he changed back. They could sort things out then. Surely.

It wasn’t that big a deal. He was still himself. Wasn’t he?

~o0o~

Lex wasn’t sure how he ended up at the Kent farm. He only remembered blinking blearily as Clark appeared at his elbow and guided him from his car to the house, but even that was incomprehensible until he’d had three sips of coffee from the mug Martha had pressed into his hands.

Finally aware of his location, Lex sat up and set the mug down. “I shouldn’t be here. I’m sorry for intruding.”

“Don’t be absurd,” Martha said even as Clark’s hands pressed down on Lex’s shoulders. “You’re here now. Stay for dinner.”

“I doubt Jonathan would approve.” He shouldn’t have said that. Clark’s hands tightened their grip, but it felt oddly comforting rather than crushing.

“I have every right to invite someone to dinner,” Martha said, her tone as firm as Clark’s grip. “Stay.”

Dinner was quiet, which was good because Lex still didn’t know where his brain had gone. Helen seemed to have stolen it with a few words. That was a skill he’d thought only his father had.

Ignoring Jonathan was fairly easy. Jonathan seemed determined to ignore everyone else at the table. Which Lex decided was a little worrying in a small moment of coherency. He’d have to look into that at some point. When he was thinking straight.

“A wonderful meal,” Lex said. “Thank you so much for inviting me. Your cooking, Mrs. Kent, is always amazing.”

Jonathan humphed and pushed himself to his feet before stalking out of the kitchen.

“You’re always welcome, Lex,” Martha said, patting Lex on the shoulder as she collected the plates. Did you leave any room for dessert?”

“Oh dear,” Lex said, leaning back in his chair with a playful slump. “I’m not sure.”

“Pie, Lex. Apple walnut,” Clark said, eyes alight over a wide grin.

“Hmm, you’d almost think you guys were expecting me,” Lex said. Actually, dinner had been chicken and green beans with almonds, one of his favorite recipes a la Martha Kent.

Martha smirked as she took the dishes to the kitchen.

“We might have hoped you’d swing by,” Clark said softly. “Though not as you arrived.”

Lex rubbed a hand over his forehead, then back over his smooth scalp. What a day. Clark caught his hand on the way back to his forehead and cupped it in his own. 

“What happened, Lex? You sounded so excited on the phone. I was supposed to invite you for dinner, but you cut me off.”

“Helen…” 

“Oh dear,” Martha said. “I’d forgotten. She was due back today, wasn’t she?”

“I forgot too.” The words were so quiet, Lex was almost surprised anyone else heard, but the looks of pity from two Kents were hard to miss. He distracted himself with the slice of pie Martha had placed in front of him.

“Did you call her… warn her?” Clark asked softly, far too understanding.

Lex shook his head.

“Oh dear. That must have been a shock.”

Lex snorted and resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Martha’s kind tone. “I’m not sure which was worse. That I had… changed. Or that I wasn’t freaking out about it.”

Clark frowned and actually put his fork down. “I’d be more worried if you were freaking out. You’re Lex Luthor. You don’t freak out.”

That made Lex smile. “I appreciate your confidence in me. Though it seems I’m doing my freaking out now.”

“Well, yeah,” Clark drawled. “This is relationship weirdness. That’s always been your weak spot.”

Lex froze. His weakness. Emotions and relationships, just like his father always said.

“Hey, now. That is not a bad thing,” Martha said firmly. “You’ve had precious little opportunity in your life to develop relationship skills. Skills for business and life you seem to have in abundance, but not for relationships.”

“Hmm,” was as much of a reply as Lex could muster.

“You’re good at life,” Clark said, his eyes fixed on Lex. Releasing Lex’s hand, Clark’s fingers rose and followed the curve of Lex’s skull. While they never made contact, Lex felt the warmth of each finger pass over his bare skin. “You learned that as a boy. If Helen knew you, she’d understand that this change is nothing.”

For the first time in at least a decade, Lex felt his skin warm in the onset of a blush. He resisted flinching away from Clark only because he knew that would be worse. And it would hurt Clark, who was blushing even harder than Lex and looking away, his hand now safely back on the table.

Lacking a better idea, Lex dug into his pie again. It was excellent. As always. He could have said so, but instead, after a few bites, said, “Thank you,” softly into the silence that had filled the kitchen.

The TV was audible from the other room, but in the kitchen only the clinking of silverware on ceramic filled the air until every plate was clean, twice over in Clark’s case.

“Mrs. Kent, Clark, thank you both for everything. I should be going.”

Even as Lex spoke, Clark shared a look with Martha that expressed much Lex couldn’t understand.

“Why don’t you see Lex home, Sweetie. He’s had a bit of a shock and probably shouldn’t drive.”

“I’m fine,” Lex protested, but they ignored him.

“Okay, Mom. Maybe I should stay a bit, make sure he’s recovering.”

“That’s very kind of you, Clark—‘

“That’s an excellent idea, Clark. I could use some time to talk to your father alone. In fact… Lex?”

He wasn’t sure what made him decide to give in, but the invasion seemed inevitable and drinking himself into a stupor was clearly no longer an option. “Yes, Mrs. Kent?”

“I’m sorry to impose, but I really do need to speak with my husband, and Clark could use some time away from the farm. Could he stay with you overnight?”

“Of course, Mrs. Kent.”

Clark whooped and ran up the stairs at an impressive clip, reappearing with a bag over his shoulder in barely more than an instant. Lex felt set up, but somehow he didn’t feel the need, or even right, to complain. 

Maybe he was losing time instead of Clark being that fast. In that case, he really shouldn’t be driving. Lex held the car keys out to Clark as soon as the younger man’s feet reached the first floor.

It had nothing to do with the way Clark’s eyes lit up.

~o0o~

It was good to be out of the house, away from the farm. While it had only been five days since the change, Clark was well and truly sick of the little yellow farmhouse, the fortress of solitude, and the fields of the farm. Even the cows were boring. Just driving down the road, under and away from the “Kent Farm” sign was a breath of fresh air.

Hopefully, his mother would succeed in talking some sense into his father. Jonathan has been a quiet mess for the last five days, even more so since Monday, and Clark didn’t have a clue what to do. Well, they’d talked a little, he and Mom, about what might be up with Dad, but Clark still didn’t know what to do about it.

Still, he was safely away from that stress source for now, even if the probable cause, his breasts, was inescapable.

The servants at the manor were as unobtrusive as ever, but Clark heard surprised whispers as people caught sight of him, and there was tension in the air from the moment Lex stepped inside. Sounded like they weren’t sure what to make of the changes in Lex. Or maybe some of them had overheard whatever happened with Helen. The source didn’t matter so much as the way the skin around Lex’s eyes tightened. With his x-ray vision, Clark could see the muscles in Lex’s back tighten as near-hidden eyes fixed upon him.

“How about a movie?” Clark suggested. “Make up for Friday.”

Good, that got a smile. “Good idea, Clark.” And if the words were a little loud, and the emphasis on ‘Clark’ was a little pointed, well Clark had been living with Jonathan’s sideways looks for days and could understand.

~o0o~

Mrs. Pettigrew, for some reason, was exactly the same as ever as she dropped off drinks and snacks to the entertainment room. However it was she remained so completely unflappable, Clark was grateful. And clearly so was Lex.

They settled on the new Vin Diesel movie (Lex always got the advance copies somehow). Partway through, Clark had an odd thought.

“Are we supposed to like action movies now?” The words popped out before he thought them through.

Lex paused the film with the remote and turned to Clark. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“Well… we’re girls.” He was very impressed with himself for getting the word out without stuttering. “Guys like action flicks, but….” He couldn’t really explain further, not really knowing what he was thinking.

“Well, we’re still us,” Lex said. “Brain chemistry accounts for some things, and some of that might have changed, but a lot of the other gender differences are societally imposed. As we were both raised male, the preferences should remain constant.”

“Umm… can you give me examples?” This promised to be a very, very weird conversation. But since it did rather seem like he was stuck like this, maybe it was something he needed to think about. Ick.

“Preferring dolls to trucks, action movies to chick flicks. A lot of that behavior is social expectation.” Lex tapped his chin thoughtfully as he spoke. “There are women who prefer action movies and men who, while rarely willing to admit it, like chick flics. So there’s no reason to change our movie watching preferences.”

“Okay… and I was enjoying… it just….”

“The thought hit. I quite understand. I’ve had a few similar thoughts since Monday.”

“But what about… you said some things are affected by brain chemistry?”

“Well, science is still evolving and learning, but changes to the brain do create behavioral changes. Damage is the primary known cause of such changes, but in our case… who knows. And there’s some evidence that sexuality is influenced by how certain brain structures develop.”

Clark frowned. He hadn’t considered… “Do you feel that applies? Do you think our brain chemistry has changed?” Well, maybe it was different for him, not being human. He didn’t think anything had changed.

Lex shrugged. “The tests are more invasive that I’ve wanted to go, though the scientists I employ have been pushing for an MRI. But as for my own thoughts… It’s hard to say. I’ve always identified as bisexual, so nothing on that front feels to have changed.”

That… Clark hadn’t know. “Oh.” Lex’s expression crumpled a little at that response, but Clark really didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know what he thought… wait, what about the other students?

“Did anyone else mention anything in your questioning this afternoon?” He tried to plaster a thoughtful expression in his face, but feared he just looked constipated. Fortunately, Lex tapped his chin and his eyes glanced up and to the left, towards his office. Where the research probably was.

“Hmm. Well, most everyone who tried the necklace more than once experimented with partners of both genders. However, as I didn’t ask explicitly and as straight men and women do sometimes experiment with homosexual behavior, the behavior is not conclusive evidence either way.”

“Huh… well, after five days I’ve barely thought about… that kind of thing. So a couple hours might not have been enough time to really… realize anything.” Clark rubbed his hand through the curls at the back of his neck, which weren’t any longer than they’d been before the necklace, no matter what he’d feared that first day. “So….”

“It’s okay, Clark. You don’t have to have all the answers.” Lex smiled and leaned over to the bucket by his end of the couch, sodas and water sticking out the mound of ice inside. “Drink?”

“Uh? Coke?”

Lex lightly lobbed the soda bottle at Clark and settled back into the plush cushions with a water. “At your age you’re expected to be confused about just about everything to do with sex and sexuality. I’m sure this just… makes the experience even more _fun_.”

Clark snorted and was glad he hadn’t opened the soda yet or he would have made a mess of Lex’s expensive furniture. “Fun? Not so much.” No, figuring out who he was and how he felt was always a mess. Adding breasts, on him, just made amuck of things. What would Lana…. Shit. He was not ready to even consider facing Lana like this. “Can we start the movie again?” 

The movie started smoothly and Lex looked towards the screen, but Clark could still hear how his voice whined and squeaked in the request. Lex was just being nice about Clark’s inability to deal with this… change. He so didn’t deserve such a good friend.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For people checking out the new chapter, go back one. I reworked and added content when I got back from vacation, while I was working on this chapter. So read the new content before tackling this one.
> 
> Enjoy.

Hanging around the farm on Thursday was boring, even with the stack of books Lex had insisted in sending Clark off with after breakfast. Without the distraction of school and interaction with his friends, Clark was already ahead of all his classes by a week or more. His reading ability was getting faster too, so even Lex’s books weren’t filling the time so well.

Being so bored, Clark was delighted when Chloe arrived after school. She bounded up to his loft, where, alright, he’d been hiding from his dad, with a wide grin and a laptop tucked under her arm. And Pete behind her shoulder.

“Pete, hey. How are you?” Clark hadn’t seen his oldest friend since the day of the change. He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. 

“Fine,” Pete said, but his tone was strained. While he had looked at Clark on his way up the stairs, moments later he seemed determined to look anywhere but.

“What are you two doing here? Doesn’t take both of you to hand over homework.” A bad feeling crawled up Clark’s spine. He hadn’t seen Pete with that look since the spaceship debacle.

Chloe snorted and claimed the end of the couch with a flounce. “Your mother called and said you were bored. And I need help finishing the next edition of the Torch. So I’m moving the Torch here.” She stuffed a small stack of papers into his hands. “Start proofing.”

Pete pulled out the chair at the desk and started tapping at his own laptop.

The articles were decent enough until Clark got to the last one. “Chloe… what?” Clark scanned over the first paragraph again, trying to take in each word. “You can’t publish this.”

“Which?” Chloe said lightly, but there was a tightness around her eyes as she leaned in to look. “Ah.”

“Ah?” Clark drawled. He shot a quick glance at Pete, but his oldest friend was pointedly ignoring both of them. “Is that all you can say? In the first paragraph alone, you accuse a teacher of sexual misconduct in three different schools.”

“She’s worked in four, but I can’t find any hints of why she left the first. Yet.” Chloe smirked, but it was strained.

Clark speed read the rest of the article. “You have no evidence of anything here, just rumors… and some pretty severe theories. What even got you started looking into Mrs. Henderson?” Oh… wait, hadn’t Lex warned him away from her?

Chloe looked away, her cheeks pink.

“Chloe?”

“Well, she came up… um… Lex sent me for her when we were interviewing everyone who’d used the necklace.”

Pete choked loudly, but when Clark and Chloe looked up, he refused to return their gaze. So Clark turned back to Chloe.

“So she used the necklace. So?”

“So most of the people who used it were… experimenting… sexually.” With each pause, Chloe made an uncertain gesture with her hand. “And they were all students, except for Angelica Henderson, English teacher.”

“She could have been experimenting with… self-gratification.” Clark felt his cheeks turn red as he stumbled over the words. A glance at Pete indicated he was listening even if he wanted to ignore the conversation. Dark cheeks could still burn red.

“I suppose…” Chloe conceded. “But I doubt it. Lex looked… murderous. And made personally certain she provided a blood sample. I didn’t need to see her answers to know there was something wrong with her.” She poked forcefully at the article. “And I found plenty when I looked. She’s a sexual predator.”

“You have no evidence,” Clark said firmly. “No one does, or she’d be in prison instead of moving on to a new school district.”

“She just targeted people over sixteen so there was no technical wrongdoing. You’ll note she sticks with Kansas.”

Clark rubbed his forehead and considered his next words. “Okay, I’ll concede there’s something suspicious.”

“Yes!”

“But….” Clark held out a hand before Chloe could bounce herself off the couch and waited until she slowed to a small bounce. “One: You still don’t have enough evidence to publish this. Two: Half your source material is protected. Lex promised he would keep what he learned Wednesday quiet, so you have no right to go parading what you learned.”

“He did…” Chloe sighed. “Lex kind of told me to lay off, after everyone left Wednesday.”

Pete snorted, but Clark ignored him.

“Which all the more makes me think Lex is working on it. If Mrs. Henderson did something illegal, or immoral, Lex will find the evidence. And evidence that doesn’t require one or more students to testify that they were…” Hell, could he actually say this explicitly? No. ”They were sexually approached by a female teacher who was at the time male.”

“I suppose….” Chloe said. She looked pained, but accepted the proofed articles and didn’t snatch when Clark tore the one on Mrs. Henderson apart. “I still don’t like having her in the school.”

“Me neither,” Clark admitted. “But Lex warned me about her, so I have a good feeling he’s investigating. And…” And what? Ah. “Did everyone else Lex questioned see Mrs. Henderson at the Talon?”

Chloe nodded.

“Then I bet there are rumors about her already starting at school. Listen in and give Lex some time to work.”

Chloe smirked. “That I think I can do. But can I still dig?”

“I’d expect nothing less. But consider sharing your results with Lex. Lawyers will be more useful in this case than articles in a school paper.”

Chloe sighed, but nodded again.

Pete huffed.

“Would you care to actually join in the conversation?” Clark asked, unable to hide a level of snark. “Or do you prefer to ignore your friends for the rest of the afternoon?”

Finally, Pete looked up. “Putting all that trust in Luthor the younger? Is that really such a good idea?”

“Why not?” Clark asked.

“Why not? He’s… he’s Luthor. He questions and digs where he shouldn’t.”

Knowing he’d complained about Lex digging into his secrets more than once, Clark stifled a wince. “He has every right to dig in this case.”

“Because it’s a teacher?”

“Because he’s researching a condition I foisted upon him.” Clark gestured at himself. “Or hadn’t you heard?” He glanced at Chloe who made it clear she’d told Pete all.

“I heard,” Pete snapped. “But it sure doesn’t seem like his research has done you any good.” He gestured at Clark. “You’re still… all… you know.”

“Female?” Clark said, his tone dry. Pete winced. “I’d noticed.”

“It should have worn off by now.”

“Should it?” Clark asked pointedly, glancing at Chloe and praying she didn’t pick up on a second level to the conversation. Her eyes were alight enough with curiosity he couldn’t trust in that. “Who knows what other factors might be influencing things.”

“Luthor can’t help you understand that. Unless you’ve told him.” Pete crossed his arms, looking utterly insulted.

“No, Pete.”

“What are you two talking about?” Chloe cut in. “What else should Lex know?”

“Nothing,” Clark said. 

“None of your business,” Pete snapped at the same time.

“What’s really eating at you, Pete?” Clark asked. “You’ve hardly looked at me since you got here. You certainly haven’t visited since last week.”

“How can I?” Pete bellowed, waving his hands at Clark. “You’re all… all… not you.”

Clark wondered if that’s what it felt like to be slapped. He had no words.

Chloe did.

“Pete, how can you say that? He’s still Clark, still your same friend.”

“But he’s not a ‘he’.”

His shoulders shrunk down and Clark curled into the corner of the couch.

“How dare you, Pete? Look at him. Don’t you think this is hard enough without you turning on him? Mr. Kent will barely look at him. You’re being an ass. He’s hiding from the whole town. You should be punishing Dustin, not Clark.”

“Oh, Chloe, don’t,” Clark whispered.

“Dustin didn’t mean any harm,” Pete said right over Clark’s words. “That doesn’t mean Clark has to… to… accept this.”

“Accept this?” Now Clark was angry and he rose to his feet, towering over his friend. “You think I’ve accepted this?”

“You’re wearing… girl stuff,” Pete said, waving his hand at Clark again, but leaning back at the same time, his expression wary.

“You think I chose…?” Clark froze, then turned away before his did something he’d regret. “Chloe,” he said as he spotted her, still on the couch, looking on in shock. “Get him out of here, before we both make this worse.”

Chloe jumped to her feet and patted him on the arm. “I’ll… I’ll talk to him. Make him see sense.”

Clark held still as Chloe escorted Pete out of the loft with soft words, stayed frozen, his jeans hugging his feminine ass, his shirt molded to his bulging chest, as his two oldest friend continued to reject him to his second oldest friend.

~o0o~

Staring at his computer screen, Lex considered the best way to shed the frustration and anger tightening his shoulders. He’d tried to talk to Helen. Three times. At work. At home. By phone. She wanted nothing to do with him. Or rather, with the ‘her’ he was now.

Damn it.

Lex was tempted to ignore the phone when it rang, but glancing over he spotted Clark’s number, and couldn’t do that to his friend. They were each other’s sanity at the moment.

“Luthor.”

“Lex, I hate to intrude, but is there any way I could invade? For the weekend?”

“Clark, what’s wrong?” The young man’s voice was shaking, something Lex rarely heard. Clark was usually so strong.

“I just…. Please?”

Normally, Lex would have said yes, or checked with Martha then said yes. However, he was leaving Smallville within the hour. “I won’t be here. I’m leaving for Metropolis shortly. My scientists want to run some tests and they think this will wear off by Monday or Tuesday, so this is the last chance.” Well, they didn’t need all weekend, but Lex had a few tests of his own he wanted to run.

“Shit,” Clark said, his voice low.

“What’s wrong, Clark?” Clark was a pure little farmboy. He didn’t curse. But today had somehow pushed him to his breaking point. Lex had been waiting for such a moment to come since he’d seen Clark on Monday, but he’d hoped it wouldn’t come just yet. Or that the blasted necklace would wear off first.

A bang came across the phone line, and somehow Lex could see Clark bouncing his head off the counter in the kitchen. Martha’s worried voice was faintly audible down the phoneline.

“Hey, don’t hurt yourself,” Lex said.

Clark sighed, and the banging stopped. “Pete came over. Chloe brought him. He’s as screwed up about this as Dad. As if I’m not having enough trouble with this myself. I just… can’t be here for a bit.”

“Let me talk to your mother,” Lex coaxed. There had to be a way to let Clark escape, but Lex’s best proposal needed some parental approval. Martha came on quickly, sounding as worried as Lex felt. A deal was quickly struck and the phone returned to Clark.

“You heard that?” Lex asked. “You can stay at the manor. Mrs. Pettigrew will keep an eye on you, but the rest of the staff will be off until Monday.”

“I don’t want to ruin her weekend plans,” Clark said.

“Nonsense.” Lex felt a smile touch his lips. “I already offered her the weekend off and she refused. I think she’s plotting something in the kitchen, so she won’t bother you much. You can read, watch movies, or… I’ll leave the password to my computer and you can use that for research or homework.”

“Lex…” For a moment Lex wondered if Clark Kent, Jonathan’s son, was going to refuse. “Thank you.”

“I’ll be back Sunday evening, and you’re welcome to stay any time I’m around. Though Dad will be back next Thursday, so the atmosphere may go downhill.”

Clark laughed a little. It was strained, but still a laugh.

“Go have some of your mother’s pie. That should cheer you up. You might find you no longer need a place to hide.”

“Not a chance.” The faint clink of ceramic and metal sounded over the line and Lex knew Martha had provided. “Lex… thanks.”

“Happy to help, Clark. You know that.”

~o0o~

The weekend had been quiet for Clark. With only Mrs. Pettigrew around the manor, there had been few interruptions and distractions, which meant Clark spent a lot of time in his own head. But just maybe that had been good thing. It had been very nice to get away from the hissed arguments between his parents.

Martha had come by twice, and they’d had some good conversations. He felt closer to his mother than ever before, and Pete had long teased him about being a mama’s boy.

Not that Clark cared one way or the other about Pete’s opinion of him at the moment. He’d thought Pete had trouble with accepting Clark was an alien, but this….

But talking to his mother had been good. And thinking. There was some stuff he wanted to share with Lex.

“Lex, you’re home.”

The older man came into his office with a weary stride that matched the lateness of the hour but not the weekend Clark was pretty sure he’d had. 

“Clark. What are you still doing up?”

Clark glanced down at his shirt covered breasts, then back at Lex. “Not like I’m going to school tomorrow. And Mom’s covering my chores through morning.” Actually, she’d made a deal with the Rosses and Pete had been covering his chores since Friday, and Clark wasn’t smug or amused about that in the least.

“Ah. I had somewhat hoped it had worn off and you hadn’t called.” Lex collapsed into his desk chair, a frown on his face.

“’Fraid not.” And Clark was not thinking about any theories on that. Not until Lex turned back. Then he’d panic. “Did you have fun in New York?”

Lex started. “How…?”

Clark gestured at the computer Lex had left him the password to. “I might have done some poking around the internet this weekend. There were some very confused rumors about you being in New York. Or your plane was, and people swore they’d seen you at a distance. I assume you avoided the clubs you’d be known at.”

Eyebrow raised, Lex nodded. “I’m impressed. I didn’t expect anyone to catch on.”

“Impressed with me or the rumor mongers?”

That got Lex to crack a smile. “A little of both I suppose.”

“So, how was sex as a girl?” Heat flared in Clark’s cheeks, but he managed to get the words out.

“Okay, now I’m very impressed.”

Clark snorted. “That one was easy to figure out. If half the kids of Smallville decided to try it, I can’t see Lex Luthor skipping the chance.”

“True.”

“And?”

Lex steeples his hands under his chin, and oddly the effect wasn’t much different than when he was male. “Different.”

Clark curled around the pillow he’d been using to pad the arm of the couch. “I don’t suppose you’d care to offer a few more details?”

“Besides the risk of being accused of corrupting a minor?”

“I’m over sixteen.” Though after the argument with Chloe about Mrs. Henderson that seemed like less than a solid counter. 

“An innocent?”

Blushing was going to happen a lot tonight. Clark’s cheeks burned again. “Umm, not so much.”

“Really?” Lex didn’t have to sound so surprised.

“Umm, that time I borrowed your car and went a bit… nuts? Jessie and I got up to a bit more than dancing.”

“Well I’ll be. You were even more off your head that week than I thought.”

“Lex!” Clark protested, though he couldn’t deny he’d been completely out of it on Red Kryptonite. “Okay, normally I wouldn’t have… But I do know the gist as a guy. So?”

Was it possible? Were Lex’s cheeks actually turning pink.

“Amazing. Words I never really expected to hear from Clark Kent.” 

Clark’s cheeks got warmer. “No, words you would never expect from me include things like oral sex, sodomy, and orgasm. Gist is more within my norm.” He huffed out a huge breath after rolling all that off and felt like his cheeks were going to burst into flame. He had to close his eyes on the look of shock Lex was giving him because his eyes were feeling warm too, and the last thing Clark wanted to do was set something on fire right now.

One advantage to this whole screwed up situation was there would be no obvious indicator of how confused and oddly aroused he was. At least, based on the weekend’s research, he thought he was aroused. The signals were rather… different. And, as stated, much less obvious and embarrassing.

“Okay, who are you and what have you done with my friend Clark?”

Huffing out a breath, Clark rolled his eyes. “I’m a teenager. We think about things like that all the time.”

“Well I remember that phase, but I wasn’t sure if pure farmboys from Smallville were like everyone else.”

“We are… and I’m not exactly a farm _boy_ at the moment.”

“You’re still you,” Lex said firmly.

Clark had to smile. “True. But new experiences introduce new thoughts.” And as much as he’d been avoiding a lot of them, he was starting to think. “And I really am curious.”

“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind. But I think I’m not quite ready to tackle that conversation.” Lex rubbed a hand over his scalp, and the look of exhaustion that had haunted him when he first came in seemed to radiate from his face again.

“Okay,” Clark said supportively and went looking for a new topic. He didn’t want to go to be yet, or let Lex go. He’d missed his friend this weekend. “Have you talked to Helen this weekend?” Even as the words slipped out, Clark wanted to slap himself. 

Lex winced. “She’s… not speaking to me apparently. She made that clear on Thursday.”

“Oh, Lex. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no.” Lex waved off the apology. “It’s a reasonable question. She’s my girlfriend, or was, and I’ve been off screwing around in New York.”

“No, that wasn’t… I didn’t even think of it that way.” So much for his cheeks cooling down. “It was more… Mom and I have been talking, and I have a theory about why Helen was so freaked, and I was wondering if she’d calmed down at all.”

Lex just shook his head, looking with tense eyes at the window behind his desk.

“Look, everyone is dealing with this differently,” Clark said, snuggling back into the couch cushions the way he had when he’d had this talk with Mom. “I’m freaking, Dad’s a quiet wreck, Mom’s cool, Pete’s throwing fits, Helen’s walking out, and you’re all calm. Mom and I talked about it. Everyone is dealing with it differently because everyone is different.”

Lex rolled his eyes. “Forgive me, but, duh.”

Clark rubbed his cheek against the pillow in his arms. “Right, sorry. But it’s all in how we view ourselves. I mean… You’re Lex Luthor. That’s what you always say. You cling to that, your name. It’s not tied to gender, so while this is weird, it’s not panic worthy. Like you said, you’re still you.”

Lex was frowning, but looking very thoughtful. Three, two, one, and he ran a hand over his bare scalp. “I went through some identity reassessment after I lost my hair.”

“Exactly. You’ve already been there and learned to deal.” Clark grinned. “The rest of us, not so much.”

“Interesting. So, what’s your theory on everyone else?”

“Okay, so Mom’s okay because her identity is as a farmer’s wife and a mother, but she’s never tied my gender into it too much. Or so she says. She doesn’t care if she has a daughter or a son, though if this lasts much longer I think she’s going to want to go shopping again.”

Clark winced, and Lex laughed.

“Dad, however, is a father of a son, so he’s not dealing so well. He can’t figure out if he’s supposed to relate to me differently because I’m… a girl.”

“Ridiculous.”

“You think that doesn’t make sense?” Clark felt a little hurt, but he had to admit human behavior was never his strong suit.

“No, I think that makes sense. I just think your father is being ridiculous for having issues.”

Clark had to smile at that. “Thanks. So, Helen.” Lex winced, but Clark kept on talking. “She’s a doctor, and that’s big for her. But there’s a good chance she’s not identifying just as a doctor, but as a female doctor. Mom says that’s common for professional women. She used to identify as a future female lawyer. So…” Clark had to pause and remind himself where he was going. “Ah, right. Gender is important to her and her identity. So in her mind your gender should also be part of your identity.”

“So she’s upset because I’m not upset,” Lex murmured.

“Maybe?”

“ No, that makes a lot of sense. Though it doesn’t really help me reassess how to talk to her.”

“Sorry.”

Lex waved off the apology again. “No, it’s a good point. But I’d already realized talking to her before I reverted wasn’t getting me anywhere.” He studied Clark for a moment, and Clark stayed silent, worried what scientific, and probably reasonable, question or test Lex might want to suggest. “So what about you?”

That had not been the question Clark was expecting. He frowned. “Pardon?”

“What do you think is your reason for freaking out?”

Damn, his cheeks were pinking again, but not for the same reason. This time Clark wasn’t embarrassed so much as trying to figure out how much he could say. “Well…” He rubbed a hand over his forehead, pushing his curls back. “The last year, year and a half, I’ve had a lot of hits to my sense of identity.”

Lex looked puzzled, but Clark waved him silent.

“Long story and no, I’m not quite ready to share. Just… some of it’s adoption related.” Lex nodded and Clark let out a relieved breath. “So, no matter how weird things got, I always knew one thing was still true. That I’m… I’m…” Yeash. He’d managed to say all those words earlier and now he was completely stuttering. “Gah, I’m a heterosexual male and in love with Lana Lang.”

“Hmm, I had noticed that about you.” Oh, that wasn’t at the least sarcastic.

“Yeah, well, for the first time I can remember, I haven’t even wanted to look over at her house.”

Lex smirked. “I did wonder about that telescope.”

“I might have watched her with her horses… or on the porch… a few times.”

“Hmm, well, there’s that teenage boy you admitted to hiding.”

Clark shrugged. “Yeah, well… not so much at the moment. I can’t even imagine facing her like…” He gestured down his body though it was hidden behind the pillow in his arms. “This. It’s just….”

Lex nodded. “I can understand, I think. So… how are you dealing with things now?”

“I’m… still not thinking about myself much.”

“Well, you’re managing to think about others, so that’s a start. My researchers say my blood indicates it should wear off in the next forty-eight hours, if they’re identifying the compounds in my blood accurately. With any luck, you won’t have to think about it much longer. Assuming you don’t decide to play with the necklace.”

Clark rolled his eyes at Lex’s playful smirk, trying not to acknowledge the unpleasant, roiling feeling in the pit of his stomach.


	9. How Long?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whee. Things are really getting crazy now. Wait until you see what else my muse wants to throw at Clark.

Curled up in Lex’s office Wednesday morning, Clark startled when Lex came charging in. Clark had come over after he finished his morning chores and settled in to work his way through some Edwardian British literature in the hopes he could come to understand the female mind a bit. Lex had left for the factory shortly after Clark arrived, stating he wouldn’t be back until dinner. Except, here he was.

Surprised as Clark was, it wasn’t until Lex had his sleeve rolled up and a needle drawing blood that Clark realized what had changed.

“You’re back,” Clark said, taking in the changes. While Lex was dressed as properly as ever, it was all fitted for the male form he had reclaimed. He must have had a change of clothes in his office, because that was not the sweater he wore at breakfast. Though it was the same shade of lavender.

“Just twenty minutes ago,” Lex said, his expression rapturous. “The effect lasted almost exactly two hundred and eleven hours. I forgot to keep a blood draw kit at work.”

But not a change of clothes. How Lex that was. Clark chuckled.

“How was it? The change back?”

“Smooth as the shift to femalehood,” Lex said. Clark wished that statement comforted him. Since his shift had been anything but smooth, going back sounded likely to be just as agonizing.

Lex capped off the vial of blood with a practiced move and slipped it into a case with a biohazard label on the lid. “Once I send this to Cadmus, my tame scientists can confirm that the change occurred once the unknown compound reached a certain level in my bloodstream.” Smiling, he held up another needle. “Now, while I know you hate doctors, a few samples from you and we can chart the rate you’re passing the compound and estimate when you’ll change back.”

Clark felt his eyes widen and the blood drain from his cheeks. “Lex….”

“It’s just a few needles. I promise I’m pretty good at making it painless at this point.”

“I can’t.” The words almost strangled him, but did escape Clark’s mouth. 

“Clark.” Lex frowned, his face filling with the thunderous look it always carried when Clark lied about his powers.

“It’s not that you’re a Luthor… or that I don’t want to….”

“No, it’s Jonathan Kent,” Lex bit out, putting the needle away in his desk. “Well, I’d best get this couriered over to Cadmus.”

Oh God. “It won’t help,” Clark whispered, but Lex must have heard because he froze on the way to the doors.

“Why not?” Lex demanded, and Clark couldn’t get the words out. “Damn it, Clark. I just want to help.”

Panic rushed through Clark’s veins, but he nodded. “You should courier that.” And Clark had better decide what he was going to do next. Not thinking about it wasn’t really an option anymore. Not now that Lex had turned back.

“And?” Lex asked pointedly.

“And then…. Where’s the necklace?”

“I have it in a safe. Up in my room.”

“Could you…. I need to take it home.” Or to someone near home. Oh he didn’t want to do this.

Lex frowned, but turned and stalked from the room with a touch less anger in his spine than Clark had expected.

Waiting for Lex to return drove Clark into a near panic. He didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to think about what answers he might get. Drifting on a sea of denial had been so easy. But Lex had changed back, and Clark still had breasts. Being an alien sucked.

“Shit,” he bit out when Lex came back, banging the door open and causing Clark to jump.

Lex held out the necklace, as ugly and pink as Clark remembered. 

“Could you…. I’d really like you to come with me for this.” His voice sounded breathless, and higher than ever. Feminine. Gross.

“Where?” Lex’s tone was flat. His hand still held out the dangling necklace.

“Home.”

“I’ll drive?”

Clark could get home faster alone. But he didn’t want to go home alone, didn’t want to face what he was going have to alone. Lex had been his rock through this whole mess. He needed his friend to stand by him, just a little longer. “Please.” He didn’t take the necklace.

The ride passed quickly in a tense silence, but at the same time each moment seemed to pass like a lifetime for Clark. He so didn’t want to do this.

Except one thing. Lex would know the truth, and while Clark couldn’t say the words, it would be a relief to have his secret in the open. Even if Lex hated him. Or worse.

As they drove down the road beside the Kent fields, Clark broke the silence. “Lex… You’re going to learn some stuff…. I’ve lied—“

“I’ve noticed,” Lex said dryly, eyes tight with anger.

“If this is it… it’s too much… I’d rather die quickly than linger on the table.”

Pulling into the Kent farm drive as Clark spoke, Lex slammed on the brakes. The car spun a quarter turn on the snow crusted dirt road and Lex fought until they stopped, then turned to Clark. 

“What are you talking about? How could you think—?“

“You’ll see.” The words were small, but now that things were almost in the open, Clark felt some relief. He held out his hand, and after a moment’s look, Lex pulled the necklace from his pocket and placed it in Clark’s hand. “Come on. You’ll want to see…. Come on.”

They were still in the middle of the drive, but Clark got out of the car and started walking at a human speed towards the house. Towards the storm cellar.

“Clark?” Martha was on the porch, looking concerned, Jonathan stepping out at her shoulder.

“Damn it, Lex, I keep telling you to drive slower.”

“That was my fault, Dad.”

“Lex, it wore off.” Of course Martha was the first to notice the really important details. “Oh, Clark. What are we going to do, Jonathan?”

Before anything could be discussed, Clark threw open the door to the storm cellar.

“Clark, what are you doing?” Jonathan bellowed, charging over. But he froze when Clark turned on him with a dark scowl.

“What I should have when this all happened.” Clark held up the necklace. “Asking the one person who might know what the hell this is.” He ignored any further questions and stomped down the wooden stairs.

The ship lit up, a beam of light scanning Clark the moment his feet hit the dirt floor.

“Kal-El, my son, this is not a choice I had expected,” said the resonant voice of Jor-El. Another scanning beam lanced past Clark towards the stairs, but he didn’t turn to look who had followed him. “I approve,” the voice continued after the beam cut off. “Your choice will prove a genetically superior father for you children.”

Clark froze, and choked noises echoed over his shoulder. “Pardon?” Clark finally said.

“I accept your decision to delay the conquest of this world to procreate,” Jor-El said. “I had expected you to father children rather than bare them, but the opportunity for children with such an optimal specimen should not be missed.”

Miscommunication. That was appallingly normal for Jor-El. Clark glanced over his shoulder and spotted Lex standing a few steps above him, staring in shock at the spaceship. Clark rubbed his free hand across his forehead then held out the other hand, dangling the necklace in view of Jor-El.

“Look, I just came down to see if you knew what this was and when it’s gonna wear off,” Clark snapped. 

“A Foitani toy.”

“Which switches people’s gender?”

“The Foitani use the mechanism in games regarding sexual relations when they do not desire to procreate. The effect varies for some other races, but the Foitani use the necklace again when they wish to return to their natural gender.”

“So if I just put this on again,” Clark said, suiting action to words. A beam of light from the ship froze his movements while the necklace was hovering before his face.

“For Foitani the effects are easily reversible. I am uncertain of the effect on humans—“

“It wears off after several hours,” Lex cut in, apparently finally breaking free of his shock. “Unless they have been exposed to the meteor rock to any degree.”

“Data recorded. Do you have additional details?”

“I—“

“What about Kryptonians?” Clark cut in before the scientists could get going. He still couldn’t move his arm, but seemed allowed to speak.

“The Foitani toy creates a potentially fatal resonance in the morphic fields of Kryptonians,” Jor-El stated.

Martha gasped and landed with a thud on a step.

“He’s not dead,” Jonthan snapped.

“Potentially fatal only,” Jor-El intoned. “An entity who survives the initial exposure will be capable of doing so again, but only if the morphic vibration is permitted time to damp before secondary exposure.”

A painful shiver ran down Clark’s spine. “How long?” he croaked out.

“The average length of time for morphic field stabilization is one year. My scans indicate your morphic field shows extensive vibration and dissonance. Exposure must have been recent.”

“Two hundred and eighty-four hours ago,” Lex said. “Just under eleven days.”

“Extensive dissonance in your morphic presence indicates a lack of acceptance in your new form. Kal-El, acceptance must be achieved before morphic stabilization can be achieved. Partial stabilization will be required before fertility can be achieved and procreation is possible.”

“Oh stuff your plans for procreation,” Clark snapped. “Let me go!”

The beam of light winked out, and as soon as his arm fell free Clark let the necklace drop to the floor.

“A year?” Clark asked firmly. 

“Further data will be required to estimate a more accurate timeline,” Jor-El said.

“But… a year? You said an average of a year.”

“Based on current recorded values and the comparison with stored data, all current estimates indicate longer, especially if acceptance is not achieved to dampen the worst of the morphic dissonance.”

Clark couldn’t take anymore. He ran.

~o0o~

Lex was of two minds. Or maybe three. One part of him was frozen in shock, chanting “Alien? Alien. Alien?” over and over. Most of his mind seemed to be processing data at a prodigious rate, but the part in control of his body had no access to the results. The last bit was interacting with a spaceship. A space ship with a voice. A spaceship with a voice that seemed to call Clark “my son.”

Then Clark vanished.

Walling off the part of himself that wanted nothing more than to go hunting for his friend, Lex stepped forward.

“Who are you?” Strange. Lex had meant to ask “ _What_ are you?”

“I am Jor-El, an AI construct with the memories of Kal-El’s father. Who are you, human?”

“Lex Luthor, Clark’s friend.”

“Lex Lu-Thor. Your name is nearly Kryptonian, as is your genetic code. I find the results of my simulations combining your DNA with that of Kal-El show optimal intelligence probabilities and transference of Kryptonian characteristics. You will procreate with Kal-El when fertility is achieved.”

“Now listen here, you mechanical monster,” Jonathan cut in. “Clark’s too young to be having children and even if _he_ ever decides to it won’t be with a Luthor!” 

“Mr. Kent, please,” Lex said. “No need to fight. I’m just trying to understand.” 

“You don’t need to understand. This is none of your business.” 

“Jonathan, he knows now. There’s no reason to fight now.” 

“And what will he do with what he knows? He’s a Luthor. Clark could end up on a slab in that lab if his. Or dead.” 

A beam of light shot out of the spaceship again, striking Lex. He found that he could no longer move his body. “What is this?” 

“Are you a threat to Kal-El as Jonathan Kent states?” Jor-El asked, the beam brightening with each word and pain tingling along Lex’s nerves. 

"No,” Lex said. The pain continued to build. “I will not harm Clark.” 

“What about Nixon? Hamilton?” Jonathan demanded. 

“I didn’t know,” Lex protested. His muscles twitched as he tried to escape, but he couldn’t move. “I will protect Clark, Kal-El, help him accept this change—“ He broke off to gasp in pain, but refused to be overwhelmed. “And I will always protect him. I would never harm him.”

Words began to slither away through the pain. All he could cling to was the thought that he would never hurt Clark. Even the pain of the confirmation of Clark’s lies could not hold up to the wonder of learning the truths. Clark was an alien. An Alien! Life existed amongst the stars and proof was living here on Earth. 

And it was beautiful. 

The light snapped off. Lex collapsed to his knees, gasping at the sudden release from pain. 

"I charge you, Lex Lu-Thor, with protecting Kal-El and guiding him towards his destiny. He must either take time to procreate or move forward towards world conquest. You will send him to me in the caves for training of his powers once he has accepted his new form.”

“I see,” Lex said. It took another moment before he could raise his head and look at the ship. “I will protect Clark. As for the rest… that is still in negotiations. I will agree to nothing more before speaking with Clark.” 

The air in the room seemed to thicken, potential building though Lex didn’t know what kind of potential. 

Then the feeling released as fast as it had built. 

"Accepted. I will await your return.” The lights on the ship all shut down and it became nothing more than a malignant shadow in the corner of the storm cellar. 

It took over a minute for Lex to lever himself to his feet in the silent darkness. He barely thought to grab the necklace from where Clark had dropped it. Moving up the stairs was a struggle, but Jonathan offered only glares as he supported Martha in the farmyard. 

The door to the storm cellar slammed shut behind Lex as he stumbled through the sprinkling of snow. Jonathan’s doing, most likely. A moment later, a hand grabbed his shoulder, spinning Lex around. Then a fist struck his cheek. 

Head spinning, Lex found himself sitting in the damp snow. 

"Jonathan, don’t.” 

As cold wetness seeped through his tailored pants, Lex realized he hadn’t grabbed a jacket before leaving the manor. But neither had Clark. Had Clark even worn one when he arrived that morning? Did cold effect Clark at all? Or heat? What else was he capable of? 

Those were questions for later, when Lex’s head hurt less. 

Either Jonathan found one strike took his opponent down well enough or Martha restrained him from further attack. Lex couldn’t make his eyes focus well enough to tell. It was cold on the ground, but at least it provided an unmoving reference point. So Lex stayed down. 

“Damn it, Jonathan. You will give Lex the same chance to prove himself you gave Pete. Clark made the decision. Live with it.” 

A hand touched Lex’s shoulder and he jerked away. Unbalanced as he was, he landed on his back, in the snow. That was getting old. 

“Poor boy. It’s alright. He won’t hit you again. Will you, Jonathan?” 

Warm hands plucked at his arm again, and this time there was nowhere further to fall. Gradually, a shoulder levered under his, an arm wrapped around his waist, and he found himself on his feet. He leaned into the warm body beside him as they walked, stumbled across the yard. 

His head began to clear as they reached the steps, and the warmth inside the Kent kitchen seemed to work miracles. By the time Lex was seated at the table with a mug of fresh coffee, his eyes focused properly and his brain was kicking into gear. Poor Clark. He’d always shown signs of being an outsider that Lex couldn’t understand. For such a sweet, friendly person, he had far too few friends. But now it made sense, as did the Kents’ hostility towards any interest in Clark. It must have been smothering for Clark, but the need to keep him safe from people like Nixon or Lionel Luthor was paramount. 

Lex latched onto that thought. Protect Clark, keep him away from Lionel. How the hell was Lex going to explain Clark being stuck as a girl for the next year in a way that wouldn’t draw too much attention from Lionel? 

And where was Clark anyway? 

Blinking, Lex looked up from his mug and around the kitchen. Martha was at the counter putting something together. Jonathan was leaning against the counter next to her, drinking coffee. 

"Where’s Clark?” 

Martha sighed. “He could be in Alaska by now, fast as he runs. There’s no way to know until he decides to come back.” 

“Martha.” 

“Shut up, Jonathan.” 

“There’s no need to tell Luthor more than he already knows.” 

“There’s no reason to hide this from Lex anymore. He’s our only chance of keeping any kind of normal life for Clark through this anyway. Or do you think we can successfully explain why our son is now our daughter to the entire town.” Martha ended on a high note, her finger jabbing Jonathan in the chest hard enough to rock the man back on his heels. “Lex just faced down Jor-El for our son. He shot Nixon for you. He tried to save us in dozens of ways and you have heaped scorn on him. No more. Do you hear me, Jonathan Kent? No more!” 

She might have continued, but Lex’s cellphone rang just then. 

“Luthor.” 

“Mr. Luthor, your friend Mr. Kent just showed up at the front door. He’s looking rather upset.” 

Coulson, his new security chief, had shown an amazing degree of common sense since Lex hired him, ignoring Lionel’s bribes and mostly taking the vagaries of Smallville life in stride. 

“He’s had a bit of a shock. Can you get him inside?” 

“He’s in the kitchen now. Mrs. Pettigrew insisted on feeding him.” 

Lex had to smile at that. The only person in his household more unflappable than his security chief was his cook cum housekeeper. He’d practically tripped over her in Metropolis one day and she had turned out to be a godsend. And she adored Clark. 

“Do your best to keep him there. I’ll be home soon.” 

“Yes, Mr. Luthor.” 

“Clark’s at my place,” Lex said as he closed the phone. 

Martha set an uncooked apple pie in front of him. “You tell Mrs. Pettigrew, preheat to 425 for fifteen minutes, then drop to 350 and cook for 45 minutes. The smell will help if you keep Clark near the kitchen and pie always helps his mood.” 

“I’ll try to get him to come home soon,” Lex promised, eyeing the pie uncertainly. 

“Don’t,” Martha said firmly. “Keep him. Calm him down. Talk to him. Whatever it takes, but keep him for now.” She looked at Jonathan. “We have some things to sort out here. In fact….. Wait here.” 

She turned and ran up the stairs, leaving Lex and Jonathan to glare at each other. 

“If you do anything to hurt my son—“ 

Lex did not need to listen to another threat. Not today. “You’ll need a lot more experience and training before you can intimidate me. I was raised by Lionel Luthor.” 

“Boys, behave!” was shouted down the stairs. 

“I will support and protect Clark, Mr. Kent. You have my word on that. Whether he needs to be protected from this town, my father, that ship in your storm cellar, or you, I will protect him.” 

Glaring at Jonathan, Lex could have sworn he saw a hint of pride in those green eyes before anger took over again. Fortunately, Martha reappeared before they could argue further. 

She held a stuffed backpack in her hand, which she offered to Lex. “Keep him as long as you need to.” 

“Martha.” Jonathan sounded completely betrayed, but he did not argue further, not after Martha glared at him again. 

“I should try and have him back tomorrow,” Lex said. “My father returns then and until we have a good story put together, Clark should avoid him.” 

“I trust you to handle that.” 

A strange feeling of warmth filled Lex’s chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Foitani are borrowed from Harry Turtledove, with modifications. In the original they are a race who experimented with changing themselves so they were female at birth and turned male later, then fought an intergalactic war over whether it was an abomination to do so. I thought they made a fair group to borrow for this.
> 
> I fully admit I appropriated Coulson and Mrs. Pettigrew from their sources. They just fit too well.


	10. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay. This chapter fought with me. I couldn't quite figure out what the contents should be. Hopefully the next chapter should go faster. I wasn't quite sure what to cover of the immediate aftermath, but now I can dig into how Clark begins to come to terms with the change (in a hopefully dramatic fashion).

Only once Lex left did Martha break down. She fell to her knees in the kitchen, tears coursing down her face. Jonathan moved immediately to his wife’s side. He was surprised it had taken her so long to cry. This last week and a half had been… impossible. And it would not be ending soon.

Even as focused as he was on Martha’s pose, when she came up swinging it surprised him. Her right fist glanced off his cheek and her left slammed into his shoulder. Jonathan jerked around, then backwards, falling on his ass to escape her reach. She stood over him, her chest heaving with her sobs, her eyes full of tears, and her fists balled and ready to strike.

“Damn you, Jonathan Kent,” she spat at him.

“Martha,” he protested. “What…?”

“How dare you ask that now,” she snarled, her read hair a halo about her head. “You, who’ve hardly looked at your son in over a week, who can’t stop wincing when _our miracle_ comes close. And today, when our poor baby is falling apart, hearing such news, all you can do is attack the one person who has supported Clark completely.”

Jonathan had suspected the nature of her rant from the first. It had been a common theme when they had been alone of late. But for once even he could not muster a counter against Luthors. The punch had been reflex and fear. 

“No more, Jonathan Kent. You will support Clark, whatever he decides. You will refrain from saying a single word against Lex.” Her eyes were wild, her fist shaking with every word. “And if you fail… if you fail…” She paused, gasping for breath. “I will take our son and I will leave.”

“Martha,” he whispered, reaching a hand up to cup her fist.

She knocked his hand away with a sharp movement that stung his skin. “No, Jonathan. No more.”

“No more,” he promised, reaching out again. He didn’t know how he was going to keep his promise. Every time he saw Clark now, those subtle changes looking so wrong, it made his skin crawl. But he would try. “No more, Martha.” This time she let him clasp her hand and pull her down into his arms. “Shhh, love. It’s going to be okay. We’ll make it okay.”

She sobbed into his shoulder, and he wondered how he was going to keep his promises.

~o0o~

Lex changed from mud soaked clothes before bringing the pie down to the kitchen. There he found Clark sitting on a stool pulled up to the island in the middle of the kitchen (Lex didn’t know he had stools for sitting at that height, but this one seemed to fit perfectly), looking like he was hovering in a state of shock.

Lex couldn’t blame Clark for that in the slightest. He was in a state of shock himself. And he was used to his father’s less than blunt requests for grandchildren.

Really, Lex should have suspected the truth and so been in less of a state of shock. But he had always rejected the absurd stories about a spaceship that landed during the meteor shower. Hamilton had been a disaster at the end. How was Lex to know he was telling the truth?

That was not a subject Lex could consider right now. It made him angry, and this was not the time to be angry. Instead, he pulled around himself the Luthor calm his father had taught him and felt his expression settle in a smooth mask.

Mrs. Pettigrew accepted the pie and directions for baking. Coulson had already accepted Lex’s orders regarding protecting Clark from Lionel and keeping an eye on the boy. Now Lex just needed to talk to Clark. Except, what the hell was he supposed to say?

Leaning against the counter, Lex looked more closely at Clark, who wasn’t looking at much of anything.

“I’m glad you felt safe coming here, Clark,” Lex said smoothly and softly, hoping his words would only be audible to Clark and otherwise get lost under Mrs. Pettigrew’s bustle as she prepared lunch.

Clark didn’t seem to hear a word.

Lex lightly touched a hand to the back of Clark’s as it sat on the counter. “Clark?” When that garnered no response, Lex moved his hand up to Clark’s face, touching his cheek and gently turning his head until green eyes faced his way. “Clark?” 

“Lex?” Clark frowned, but his eyes seemed to focus on Lex for a moment. “I don’t wanna be a girl anymore.”

~o0o~

Clark had collapsed into Lex’s arms in tears, much to the older man’s shock. After crying himself out in the apple scented space of the kitchen, Coulson had assisted Lex in guiding the young man to the guest room for a nap.

Lex left orders for food to be sent up later, including at least two slices of Martha’s pie, before retreating to his office. Mrs. Pettigrew sent up lunch, which Lex ate while catching up on his emails. He should have had a meeting with the factory board this afternoon, but he named Gabe Sullivan his proxy and claimed an emergency. Gabe knew Lex had changed back to his natural gender that morning, since they’d been having a face to face meeting when it happened, and was more than happy to manage things. Not that Lex couldn’t have managed the meeting. He just… had a few other things to attend to.

Helen specifically.

Lex changed his clothes yet again before leaving the manor, changing from his tear soaked shirt to a soft gray sweater that Helen had expressed approval of once or twice. She said it brought out the color of his eyes. Today he probably needed that kind of help.

A phone call to the hospital identified that Helen was not at work. Lex wasn’t sure what to make of the surprised tone of the nurse he spoke to, but he didn’t have the energy to dig into matters right now.

There was a chance she was out in town somewhere, or performing a home visit, but Lex decided to try visiting her home rather than risking a call to locate her directly. This was a conversation they needed to have face to face. And she had been avoiding his calls since their last meeting.

Walking up to her door, Lex hear music and movement within, which brought a faint relieved smile to his lips. He knocked. And waited.

“Helen,” he said with a wide smile as the door opened and his girlfriend came into view.

She looked him over, but did not respond. Her expression was hard and did not lighten as she took in his returned state.

“Helen?”

She walked away, but left the door open.

“I’m sorry,” he said as he stepped in, closing the door behind himself. “I should have called you as soon as it happened. Letting you find out the way you did was inexcusable.” He poured out the words he’d been hoping to say to her every time he had tried calling in the last week before he took in the changes to her living space. Most of the contents of the room were packed into boxes.

Helen walked into the kitchen where she began wrapping dishes in newspaper before placing them in a box.

“Helen?” Lex said, following behind her. “What is this?”

“I can’t deal with this anymore,” Helen finally said, her fingers wrapped tight around the edge of the box.

“With what, Helen?” An unpleasant feeling of concern filled Lex’s chest. His plans were falling apart around his ears. Again.

She whirled, flinging a dish at his head. Lex dodged, but was still clipped by the outer edge and felt sharp fragments hit the back of his head when the plate shattered against the wall.

“What?” he protested.

“No more Smallville, Lex. Maybe you can handle aliens and mutants and people suddenly changing their sex for no reason.” Helen’s chest heaved as she panted with heightened emotion. “I can’t deal with this shit, even if you can.”

“Helen, I’m sorry—“

“Enough,” she spat, and Lex ducked as she swung her arm. But this time there was no plate in her hand. “I’m tired of your games, of your father’s.”

Lex froze. “My father’s?” Shit. He’d thought by refraining from asking her to move in he’d have protected her from his father’s interference. “What has he done?”

“Done? Nothing,” she said dryly. “Said? Suggested? Insinuated?” A disturbing smirk crossed her lips. “Oh, Lex, you really have no idea how closely he watches you.”

Anger surged through Lex’s veins. He strode forward and grabbed her upper arms, shaking her slightly as he spoke. “What has he told you?”

She shrugged off his touch, and shocked at his anger, Lex let her. “Your father is well aware of your attraction to the Kent boy, and that Clark is far more than he seems. I have proof.”

Panic filled his belly and his heart sank. Clark was far more than Lionel could ever understand. Lex didn’t fully understand. But there was no way he was ever letting his father get ahold of Clark. “What have you told Lionel?” There was no love in his voice anymore, just calm determination.

“I’m leaving here, and you will let me go. In return, I will give you that proof.” Her eyes danced over his face, her expression hard. Lionel would have been proud.

“Agreed.”

“Do what you want with the boy, but leave me alone.”

“Fine.”

“I’ve already left my position with Smallville General.”

“I’ll see it they write you an excellent reference.”

“You’ll add a personal one.”

“Very well.”

“And see to it I get the position I applied for at Bethesda.”

Maryland. Good. Lex wanted her as far as possible from Lionel and Clark. “Not Paris?” he asked dryly. Europe would be an even better distance.

“Bethesda will do fine,” she said with mercenary calm.

“I’ll do my best.” His connections weren’t exactly the strongest in the hospital system, but someone and Metropolis General would probably know what strings to pull, and the Luthors owned that hospital.

“Good.” She turned away and began packing again.

“The proof?”

“Perhaps I should hold onto it until I have my acceptance.”

Anger surged through his veins. Storming forward, he gripped her wrist and pulled her arm back and up, locking the joints until she squeaked in pain. “Do not expect my affection for you to protect you further,” he growled into her ear. “You will give me that proof or my father’s insinuations will be the least of your worries.”

Clark was right. Lex had the worst taste in women. How had he missed the truth of Helen’s character?

“It’s in the fridge,” she hissed. “The back left corner on the second level.”

He wished he’d brought his gun so he could be fairly certain she’d stay back after he released her. But he’d come here to woo, not maim. When he released her, she turned, but stayed by the counter, rubbing her arm. Lex moved carefully to the refrigerator and looked through the shelf in short glances, always looking back to Helen in irregular intervals.

She still hadn’t moved when he found it. A single vial of blood lay on the shelf, behind a barrier of several condiment bottles. With gentle fingers, he picked it up and pulled it from the cold space.

“What is this?” Lex asked, studying Helen more than the vial.

“Clark Kent’s blood. What’s left after my research.”

Oh hell. Lex could only imagine what secrets could be uncovered from the contents of that small container.

“All of it? You swear?” Not that he believed her, but he had to ask.

“I ran a few tests, but that’s what left. You won’t believe what that simple boy has running through his veins.”

Lex swallowed but kept his fear from his expression, projecting the avarice he knew he would have been feeling even a few hours ago. Clark Kent’s secrets, waiting for him to dig them out, handed to him on a silver platter. Except Clark had already shared his secrets, and it meant more to have the truth come from farmboy lips than Lex’s machinations.

“I look forward to finding out.” And he meant that, if not in the way Helen thought. He tucked the vial in his slacks pockets. “Get out of my town as fast as you can.”

“The movers come tomorrow.”

“If I hadn’t come over today…?” Oh hell. Would she have left without telling him, with the blood.

“Your father would have provided well for that vial.”

“Leave my father and his machinations behind when you leave.”

“With pleasure.”

~o0o~

Chloe pulled up at the Kent’s farmhouse after school. She was hoping she’d actually see Clark today. He’d been hiding somewhere of late, not that his parents would admit as much, and she was getting worried.

No one came out of the yellow farmhouse as she got out of her car, which was a definite change. Martha had been on the porch for every car the last week, providing directions or diversions depending on the guest. Jonathan should have been around too, as Pete was due soon to cover Clark’s afternoon chores. Chloe didn’t know what the Kents had told Pete’s parents, but they had absolutely ordered him to help out while Clark was “indisposed.” Chloe completely approved, but wished it was having more of an impact on Pete’s disposition.

“Hello?” she called, stepping up on the porch. There was no reaction, so she knocked on the door frame. The pickup was parked by the barn, so it seemed unlikely no one was home. 

“Come in.” The voice was male, and soft. 

Chloe opened the door, always open in the summer but now closed against the winter cold, and slipped inside. The kitchen was empty, but she finally found Jonathan and Martha sitting huddled together on the couch. Martha looked asleep, but Jonathan looked up at Chloe’s entrance.

“I brought Clark’s homework,” she said softly.

“Thank you, Chloe. Go ahead and leave it on the kitchen table,” Jonathan said.

“Is everything… okay?” She wanted to ask about Clark specifically, but didn’t know how. Stepping closer, she couldn’t miss the tear tracks down both Kents’ faces.

“We’ve had a bit of a… shock.”

“Clark?” The word jumped out and she took a step closer.

“He’s….” Jonathan closed his eyes and looked to be in great pain. “He’s had a shock.”

“I should… Where is he?”

“With Lex… at the manor. Martha thought a change of venue would help.”

Chloe had a feeling that the Manor was where Clark had been hiding all week, so that explanation didn’t make much sense, but she went with it. “I’ll go….”

Jonathan smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”

~o0o~

“I’m afraid Mr. Kent isn’t receiving at the moment.”

It had taken twenty minutes to argue her way past the front gate and up to this guy, and she was getting more than a little pissed. Security had never been this tight at Luthor Manor.

“He’s my friend,” Chloe snapped. “Jonathan Kent told me he’s here, and if you don’t let me see him—“

“Miss Sullivan.” He cut her off firmly. “I will be happy to ensure he receives his homework assignments but right now I will not allow anyone to disturb Mr. Kent.”

Chloe opened her mouth to protest but the security guy cut her off again.

“Mr. Luthor left strict instructions to let Mr. Kent sleep himself out. He’s had a stressful day and needs his rest.”

Chloe frowned. “What happened?”

“That has not been shared with me.”

“Can I speak to Lex?”

The man looked pained. “Technically yes. However, I would recommend waiting until tomorrow.”

Raising an eyebrow and speaking in a conspiratorial whisper, Chloe asked, “What’s wrong?”

He studied her for a moment. “Off the record?”

“You’ve heard of me,” Chloe said with a bright smile. “Very well, off the record. I’m here as a concerned friend, only. And I do know what happened with the whole….” She gestured towards her chest, making one flat pass and one curved pass.

“Mr. Luthor returned to his usual… shape this morning, which led to some kind of shocking experience for Mr. Kent.” The man’s voice dropped in volume with the next sentence. “After seeing Mr. Kent settled to rest, Mr. Luthor went to speak to Dr. Bryce.”

Chloe frowned. Hadn’t Clark said something in passing about Helen taking badly to Lex’s gender change?

Oh.

“It didn’t go well?”

He rubbed his forehead. “One might assume so, given Mr. Luthor came back in an absolute snit and ordered a security lock down, after revoking Dr. Bryce’s security clearance.”

It was Chloe’s turn to rub her forehead. Lex really had bad luck with women.

“I’ll come back tomorrow then.” She held out the stack of papers she’d been carrying about since she left school. “You’ll get these to Clark? He shouldn’t let his grades slip just because….” She waved her hand in a ‘you know’ kind of movement.

“Of course, Miss Sullivan. If I may suggest, call before coming by next time?”

“Who would I call?” She didn’t have Lex’s number, and Clark didn’t have a cell phone.

He offered her a card containing a name, Phil Coulson, and a number. “I would be happy to provide Mr. Kent’s friend with an update. Off the record.”

“Thank you, Mr. Coulson.”


	11. Shaking up the Rut

Apparently, leaving Clark alone to work through things for a few days was the wrong move. But Lex didn’t realize this until he received an emergency call to his office from Coulson to say Clark was trying to leave. With many apologies. But could Lex come quickly because Clark was almost off the grounds and wasn’t saying where he was headed.

Given what Lex now knew about Clark, making extrapolations based on what he had thought he’d seen and correlated data from others, Lex was very surprised even his security had spotted Clark leaving. The younger man had managed to get on and off the Luthor property without being spotted on plenty of occasions.

Actually, that they’d been able to stop Clark might be even more impressive.

Lex bolted outside, praying his father wasn’t in a position to notice his undo haste. The last few days had been quite full, between keeping his father from finding out about Clark, or any of his personal staff who would report back to Lionel, running LexCorp, and figuring out how to explain things so Clark could keep his life as normal as possible over the next year or so. He should have spent some time talking to Clark, but the staff had reported that Clark was in something of a fugue and it seemed kinder to let him work his way through that while Lex took care of everything else.

Given the first thing from Clark’s mouth upon seeing Lex was “I shouldn’t have come here. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” it was quite clear Lex had left things way too long.

“Don’t be absurd Clark,” Lex said firmly. “You are always welcome here. Surely your mother told you when she visited.”

Clark’s eyes were wide, hints of panic and fear in their depths, a look not normally directed at Lex himself, though he’d seen it in his vicinity on a few, very memorable, occasions. Clark’s mouth opened and closed a few times, each time pausing open as if the words wouldn’t come. Finally, he whispered. “You didn’t visit.”

Uncertain if he was supposed to have heard that, Lex didn’t reply directly. “I know I said it when you first arrived.”

Clark looked confused. Damn. As messed up as he had been that afternoon, he might have blocked some of the day out. “I don’t wanna… You should be so angry…”

“Come on,” Lex said, gently wrapping an arm around Clark’s waist and tugging gently towards the house. “Why don’t we talk somewhere more comfortable. This isn’t a conversation we should be having on the lawn.”

Clark didn’t shift in the slightest. “I can’t. I have to go.”

Security had backed away once Lex arrived, and another look sent them scurrying off to their posts. “Why?” Lex asked softly. “It’s been four days, and you seemed—“

“Four days?” Clark squeaked. “I don’t remember… Shit.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead, eyes closed. It seemed impossible from what Lex was learning, but Clark looked to be in pain. “I have to go. He’s calling.” The last two words were so quiet that Lex almost didn’t hear them.

“Who?” Lex asked, frowning. He didn’t like the look of this at all.

Wild eyed, Clark looked down the road, towards the Kent farm, presumably. “You know… him. My father.”

“He can do that?” Lex was… disturbed. He’d thought he’d made a deal with Jor-El, and it certainly hadn’t included dragging Clark across the countryside in some kind of summons. Perhaps they needed to have another talk.

Clark shrugged. “He’s only done it once before. But he won’t let up until I come.”

Huffing, Lex nodded. “Very well.” As unhappy as Clark looked about it, that could explain why he was moving slow enough for the security staff to spot him. “Come on.” Lex turned towards the garage.

“I have to go,” Clark said, sounding a bit panicked.

“We will,” Lex said, turning back to Clark and keeping his voice calm, though he really wanted to hit something. “But I am not walking to your farm.”

Clark frowned.

“Car?” Lex prompted.

Letting out a wry laugh, Clark rubbed the back of his neck, hanging his head. “Right. Car. That makes… thanks. You don’t have to come, you know.” But even as he said it, he had caught up with Lex and continued moving towards the garage.

“I think I do,” Lex said.

They maintained a companionable silence while Lex grabbed the keys to the Porche 911 and they both got in. Lex had considered offering Clark the chance to drive, but given the regular winces and the still fuzzy expression on his face, Lex resisted. Maybe on the way back, when Jor-El wasn’t doing whatever he was doing to “call” Clark.

Lex informed security of their destination, and supplied a cover story to distract Lionel, if he decided to ask. There were still moles in his staff, but Coulson was quite efficient at sniffing them out. Best hiring choice Lex had made to date.

Half way down the road to the Kent Farm, Lex slowed down to the speed limit.

“Clark.” He paused. Damn. He’d been looking for the right words for four days. “I still have a lot of questions.”

“I expected that.”

“But I’m not…”

“You did hit me. On the bridge.”

A weight lifted from Lex’s shoulders that he had long forgotten was even there. The sudden loss shocked him and he took a gasping breath.

“I didn’t know then. I thought… I thought we were going to die that day.”

Lex reached over and caught Clark’s hand in his own, gripping those broad fingers tight. “I didn’t mind dying,” he admitted. “I hated that I was taking you with me.”

A quick glance showed tears flowing down Clark’s cheeks, and Lex felt a few gathering in his own eyes.

“I… confronted Dad later… shoved my arm in a wood chipper.”

Lex slammed on the brakes, and it was a damned good thing there was no one else on the road this time of evening. “You what?” he bellowed, turning to face Clark as they stopped.

“Didn’t hurt me,” Clark said with a shrug. He started to grin. “Messed up the wood chipper. And Dad freaked.”

Somehow Lex could imagine the expression of panic and shock on Jonathan Kent’s face, and it made him laugh. Just a little.

“He told me about the ship a little later, about how they found me after the meteor shower.”

“So you didn’t know before then.” Clark shook his head, and Lex frowned. “I don’t see Jor-El staying quiet all those years. He doesn’t seem the type.”

“We lost the key, when the ship landed. Jor-El wasn’t activated until a few weeks ago.” Clark’s lips wrinkled up as if he’d just bitten into a lemon. “I wish we’d never gotten the key back. I hate him.”

Lex sighed. That was a sentiment he knew all too well. “I admit, I never took you for the world conquering type.”

“I’m not,” Clark protested. Loudly. “I’m not,” he repeated softer. “I don’t believe I’m superior because I come from some other planet I don’t even remember. I just want to be normal.” He let out a snort of laughter in the silence that followed and gestured at his chest. “Yeah… not gonna happen.”

“Clark, you’ve always been extraordinary. This latest twist has nothing to do with that. Around here, turning into a girl, or a wolf, or surviving the impossible, it’s all perfectly normal.”

Clark sighed. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“Can’t blame you there. Number of concussions I’ve had the last year and a half, my doctors are talking about permanent brain damage.”

This wince didn’t seem to have anything to do with Jor-El, and was accompanied by the patented Clark Kent expression of unspecified guilt.

“Don’t worry about it,” Lex said, finally shifting the car back into drive. “Just stop knocking me out when you’re doing something I shouldn’t see. I promise, this is a secret I want to keep.”

“I didn’t think… you always said friendships couldn’t be built on lies. And I’ve had to tell so very many lies.”

Lex wanted to kick himself for all the pushing and badgering he’d done since he met Clark. Looking back, all he could see was a scared boy trying to protect himself. “I’d like to be angry,” he admitted. “I was for a bit.” He’d demolished the contents of two rooms that evening, but half of that had been anger at Helen. At least. “But I don’t… I can’t really blame you. Not for hiding this. Damn, Clark, you’re an alien. If my father ever found out you’d be in a lab before you could blink.”

Clark shivered in the seat, hard enough for the seatbelt to rattle.

“I won’t let him,” Lex promised. “Or anyone else. I promise you that, Clark. Now that I know… Oh, I can finally see why you hated my research, my digging. No more digging. We’ll work together.” He pulled into the Kent driveway and stopped by the house. “I’ll protect you, from the world if need be. You know I’ll do anything for my friends.” He looked at Clark, and Clark looked back with eyes full of fear and hope. Gorgeous.

“And we’ll start with Jor-El. Go let your mother fuss over you for a couple and let me talk to him.”

“Lex, you shouldn’t. He’s dangerous.”

A shiver ran down Lex’s spine. The pain had vanished as soon as the beam turned off, but the memory refused to fade. “I had noticed that.”

Clark’s eyes filled with anger. “What did he do?”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” Lex laid a comforting hand on Clark’s arm. “A test, and I passed. We came to an agreement, but it seems we need to do some renegotiating.”

~o0o~

Reassuring Clark had taken far too long, especially once the Kents came down the stairs. But Lex had finally made it down the storm cellar stairs, alone.

“Jor-El? We need to talk.”

The spaceship in the shadowed corner lit up, hovering above the dirt floor as it had when Lex last saw it, four days ago. A beam of light shot out and scanned over Lex, then shut off.

“I called my son, Kal-El, not you, Lex Lu-Thor.”

Lex wasn’t sure which was giving him flashbacks worse, the beam of light or the voice. But he refused to show his distress, drawing on his father’s training for proper Luthors. He crossed his arms and spoke with a disappointed drawl. “That is what we need to speak about. You distressed Clark.”

“Kal-El has wallowed long enough. We have matters to discuss.”

“You said you would wait for me to return. You said nothing of disturbing Clark directly.” Damn, Lex was getting angry and that was slipping through. “You charged me with protecting Clark, and I accepted. I do not appreciate you circumventing me.”

Another beam of light shot from the ship, then shut off in less than a second. For a minute, the hum of whatever kind of engine was allowing the ship to hover was the only sound in the storm cellar. “Your point is made.”

“Good. Now, I agree that Clark had wallowed long enough. I have been developing plans to help with that.”

“Explain.”

And Lex did. He’d be explaining again soon enough, to convince the Kents to go along with his ideas, so Jor-El’s arguments for and against were rather helpful. He just might have a chance of getting this past Jonathan. Then again, all he really needed to do was convince Martha. From the look in Jonathan’s eyes earlier, she was the one in control right now.

“Acceptable.”

Thank goodness. “What did you wish to speak to Clark about?”

“We did not complete our conversation previously due to his emotional state. I would discuss his procreating and training with him. If he is to take control of this world before his children are fully grown, we must make plans.”

“No.” Shit, Clark did not need that conversation.

“No?”

“I said I would discuss these matters with Clark and get back to you. You will not subvert me.”

“They must be discussed.”

“Then you can discuss them with me.” Lex wasn’t feeling on top of his game, but Clark was even worse off. Damn this machine. If he could have put this off just a few more weeks…

“Clark must learn to control of his abilities, both for his safety and so that he can properly control the population when he takes control. He must learn of his people and history.”

“I will concede to the need for control and knowledge. I do not agree that world conquest is on the table. How do you propose he learn this control?”

“There is a portion of the caves which was designed as a training facility. Kal-El must come to me for three Earth months.”

“No.”

“You concede Kal-El must learn control.”

“Yes.”

“Then he must come to me for training.”

“Not for three months. To be blunt, I do not trust you with him for three months, and I know he doesn’t trust you.”

“Trust is not required. It can be achieved.”

Lex shook his head. “Yeah, it’s comments like that that ensure we continue not to trust you. You seem to be implying that you can brainwash your son to trust you.”

The lights on the ship blinked for a moment before Jor-El replied. “That could be an accurate statement.”

“No.”

“I do not understand what you are negating.”

“You will not brainwash your son. Try it and I will explore just what it takes to ensure you are destroyed.”

Light shot from the ship and Lex felt pain begin to prickle in his nerve endings.

“Kill me and Clark will never trust you,” Lex hissed.

Pain increased for a moment, then the light shut off.

“I will not brainwash Kal-El. But he must come for training.”

Lex hunched over upon his release, panting. The pain had not been as severe as last time, but the flashback was brutal. Soon he straightened, glaring at the ship. “There will be no training until Clark has had a chance to settle back into something closer to normalcy. However, I agree that there must be training. Perhaps it can be scheduled like another class, an hour or two in the evenings after school.”

“Such short exposure will not provide constant progression and absorption of knowledge.”

“You mean it will take longer.”

“Yes.”

“But it means I can speak to Clark after his lessons and ensure you have made no changes to his personality or behavior. It means Clark does not have to give up his life, his friends, his family, to learn about a world that right now he cares nothing for.”

“Krypton is his home.”

“Earth is his home. It is where his parents and friends are from. It is where he was raised. It is the only home he remembers, and you providing him with false memories or brainwashing him to believe otherwise will not change those facts. Clark Kent lives on Earth. Kal-El lives on Earth.”

The lights took up their frantic dance again.

“I will consider your proposal.”

It would damn well do more than consider or Lex would make sure it was destroyed. And Clark would probably, certainly, help. “We will discuss the matter again when Clark is in a better mental state. And morphic resonance.”

“Agreed.”

Oh thank God.

“I will speak to Kal-El now.”

“Very well. But you will not bring up procreation. He is not ready to deal with the idea yet.”

“Agreed. I will not bring up procreation. I will speak to Kal-El now.”

~o0o~

Martha had seen Clark only a few hours before, at the manor, but now that he was up and moving around more coherently, she seemed determined to shower him in affection and pie. The pie he knew how to manage. The affection was nice, but completely overwhelming. Clark felt more than a little smothered by the time Lex slipped away to talk to Jor-El, and the feeling kept getting worse once they were inside.

At least Jonathan wasn’t completely avoiding looking at Clark. Oh, he didn’t look comfortable, and kept glancing at Martha, who kept glaring back, but he was trying to interact.

Martha bustled off to the kitchen, and Jonathan finally spoke for the first time since Clark arrived. Actually, the first time since Clark left the farm four days ago.

“Look, son…” He winced. “I’m sorry. I know I’ve been… not very supportive with this whole thing.”

Clark shrugged and kept his eyes on his plate. It was empty, but Martha had promise to bring more soon. “You’re not the only one freaking out. Pete’s a mess too.”

“I know, but I’m your father. It’s my job to help you, not make things harder for you.”

Once upon a time, Clark would have expected the same from his best friend too, but he’d learned things were rarely so straight forward. After all, he was an alien being raised as a (mostly) normal boy in small town Kansas. “Honestly, Dad. It’s okay. You’ve been amazing through floating and x-ray vision and heat vision, but it’s all really a bit much. Makes sense you’d hit a limit at some point.”

“Your mother hasn’t.” Jonathan sounded regretful.

Clark smiled at him, a bit wry. “I think she always wanted a little girl.” 

“Maybe she’ll have her chance this time.”

Clark had to smile honestly at that. It was all still very new, but he was looking forward to having a sibling.

“Still, Clark… I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you these last few weeks. But I’m trying to change that.”

Nodding, Clark said, “Just treat me like you always have. I’m still Clark, or so everyone keeps trying to tell me.”

“You are, son. I may just need reminding from time to time.”

More pie, some coffee, and stilted conversation followed until Lex came inside.

“He still wishes to speak with you, Clark,” Lex said. “But it’s up to you. You can say no.”

He took a moment to consider, but then Clark shook his head. “No, I’ll talk to him. I have a few questions.” Questions that had been tearing his mind apart for the last four days, but which he still didn’t really want to acknowledge or speak aloud. His life sucked.

“Only if you’re ready,” Lex said firmly.

Clark glanced at his mother, who looked reassuring, and his father, who looked pained and twitchy, and wanted to laugh. Jonathan looked like he was dying to go on a Luthor rant, and Lex looked like he was expecting one too, but Martha had made it clear some time ago that rants were not permitted tonight.

“No, I’m good. I probably owe him a thank you. I was kind of stuck in a rut.” Clark waved his hand in a circle next to his head. “Mentally running in circles. The call sucked, but it snapped me out of that.”

Lex winced, but nodded and left the doorway so Clark could pass him. Clark paused next to Lex and touched his arm. He spoke softly, so his parent’s wouldn’t hear. “You going to be okay in here.”

“Fine,” Lex assured him. His expression was firm and confident, but there were hints in his eyes, if you knew what to look for, that he was running on pure panic.

But there was nothing Clark could do about that right now, so he nodded and headed outside. It was still cold out, though the snow from four days ago had melted. Only then did he realize that Lex had left the manor without a coat, again. And had been outside in the cold, shadowy storm cellar. And it was Clark’s fault.

He really had to stop dragging Lex around unprepared.

But for the moment he needed to focus on facing Jor-El.

A beam of light lanced from the hovering ship once Clark reached the bottom step. It scanned him, then vanished.

“Kal-El, my son.”

“What do you want?” Clark asked flatly. 

“You have questions.”

“You dragged me all the way over here to say that?”

The lights on the ship flickered on, then off. “No. I summoned you because the morphic dissonance you project was discernable by my sensors and increasing. Your mental state was detrimental to your physical wellbeing.”

Clark shuddered. What exactly did that mean? No, on second thought, he didn’t want to know. “I admit I was in an unpleasant mental state and your summons did break me free. That does not mean I have come to terms with your assumptions from our last meeting.”

“Which assumptions do you refer to?”

Waving an arm over his altered body, Clark snapped, “That I would do this to myself on purpose for the purpose of having kids. At my age.”

“The youth of Krypton commonly bore children from ages fourteen and up depending on their social and economic status.”

Clark took a moment to consider that statement. On Earth, from what he’d picked up from the media, having kids young usually mean you didn’t have a lot of money or education. ‘Social and economic status?’ “How old were you and Mom when I was born?”

The lights hiccupped. “Older. However, you are the last remaining member of the Kryptonian race save a few possible followers of Zod.”

“Who?”

“A matter for another time.”

Clark frowned. He didn’t like the sound of that. “And if I want to discuss it now?”

“You are not emotionally or physically prepared to deal with some of the subjects available for conversation.”

“But you think I’m ready to talk about having kids after seeing me for five seconds with breasts?”

“An error on my part.”

Shock made Clark take a step backwards, and he tripped over the stairs and landed sitting on the third step. But damn, had his mechanical father just admitted to making a mistake?

“I had not known there was a Foitani toy available on this planet. The change was unexpected, and combined with your companion I made assumptions. A programing error.”

“Hmmm,” Clark hummed. “Why make such an assumption? What is it about Lex that made you think…?” Okay, maybe he didn’t know how to ask this. “I mean, I assumed kids were completely out of the question. I’m… we’re… not the same race?”

“One of the reasons Earth was familiar to me was the genetic compatibility with Kryptonians observed. Only minor modifications allowed the original visitor to the Kawatche people to procreate with his chosen bride.”

“But I don’t have means to do any… modifying.”

“The modifications are still present in many of the Kawatche people and the possibility of a human undergoing a natural mutation to be compatible with Kryptonian genetics is slim but present. A device was created and given to the Kawatche people which identifies genetic compatibility.”

“A device? What kind of device?” Clark was feeling overwhelmed, but for once it was a possibly good overwhelmed. He’d assumed he’d be alone his whole life, unique, and his father’s comments about procreation hadn’t really sunk in before. That he had the possibility of having children was kind of… comforting.

“It was built into a decorative adornment of native manufacture and given to Mol-Av’s bride, to be passed down in her family.” 

Clark jumped to his feet. Could it be? “Be back in a sec.”

He only slowed down enough to keep from slamming the door to the house on his way in and out, but otherwise went full tilt to his room and back. Kyla’s bracelet was right where he left it.

“Is this device?” he asked, holding it out to Jor-El. A beam of light lanced from the ship and scanned both Clark and the bracelet.

“Yes.”

“Guess Kyla’s family remembered the story a bit wrong.”

“Explain.”

“Their legend said this bracelet would be given to my… to Naman’s beloved, soulmate, something like that. Kyla thought ot meant we were destined to be together.”

“The device is meant to be worn by the Kryptonian to identify genetically compatible mates. You may consider choosing several, given the proliferation of compatible humans in this area, to increase the genetic diversity of the next generation of Kryptonians.”

Clark blinked, and shoved that statement to the back corner of his mind. He did not want to believe his father had basically told him to get himself a harem. “How does it work?”

“When worn against the skin, the device will provide a signal when you come in contact with someone who is genetically compatible. The stronger the signal, the greater the degree of compatibility.”

Clark took a minute to let that sink in, then slipped the bracelet over his wrist. It was a bit of a stretch, the cuff having been made for a more delicate, feminine wrist, which even as a girl Clark did not have. But it did manage to stretch that far, and sat with a warm weight against his skin.

“You said…” Clark paused to organize his thoughts. “You implied there was a larger than expected number of potential… people around here. Are you describing more than just members of the Kawatche tribe?”

“Affirmative.” 

“If the Kawatche are compatible because of Kryptonian interference—“

“And latent Kryptonian genetics from the line of Mol-Av.”

“Right, but still, how are there so many others for you to… how do you know there are so many others?”

“I have access to the sensors in the cave complex as well as range around this area from the ship sensors. While monitoring you, I have identified an unexpected number of compatible genetic profiles.”

“Unexpected? Then … do you have a theory as to why…?” Clark frowned and let the question drop. He had a bad feeling as to why.

“Presumably the changes are due to mutation caused by exposure to the radioactive remnants of Krypton.”

Damn, Clark had been afraid of that. “The meteor rock mutated people, and that made them…?” 

“It is a possible hypothesis. Further research would be required to confirm.”

Well, if Clark wore the bracelet and kept track of who it signaled, he might be able… “I may be able to provide more data… eventually.” He wasn’t sure he was all too eager to start now. Or any time soon. His life was weird enough already. “You said Lex was… compatible?”

“Lex Lu-Thor shows a compatibility above that expected for the Kawatche people. His genetic code shows extensive mutation due to Kryptonite exposure.”

Huh. 

“He also has markers for high intelligence and an increased probability of Kryptonian traits being passed on to offspring. Neither were expected of a Kawatche mating.” 

“Why not?”

“Mol-Av intentionally changed his bride so their children would have latent Kryptonian genetics and no outright abilities. It was uncertain if that modification would remain present through the generations. Children with Kryptonian abilities supporting you will make claiming and retaining control of the human population easier.”

That was a conversation Clark was more familiar with, so he shoved his confusions aside and rolled his eyes. “I’m not conquering the world.”

“It is your destiny.”

“I don’t care. It isn’t the right thing to do. I want to help people, not rule.”

The lights on the ship flickered for over a minute, and Clark could only stare and wonder just what Jor-El was thinking about.

“I will consider your words. You have other questions.”

Clark considered it, but shook his head. Yeah, he had questions about his parents, but his home world, about his abilities, but he wasn’t in the right frame of mind right now. “Another day.”

“As you wish.” The ship powered down, vanishing silently back into the shadows.

~o0o~

“Have a seat, Lex,” Martha said once Clark had left the house. “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Pie?” They shared a smile at that last one.

“Coffee would be wonderful,” Lex admitted. He was drained after talking to Jor-El, and the worst conversation might well still be to come.

“And pie,” Martha said. “You look like you need the calories more than the caffeine.” 

“Maybe a sandwich would be better,” Jonathan suggested, studying Lex with an eye that made the younger man a bit nervous. “You don’t look like you’ve eaten much lately.”

“Neither does Clark,” Martha said, whirling around the kitchen. “Though I’ve managed to get him to sit in the sun, which seems to help. Lex doesn’t have that advantage.”

Lex tried to protest when he saw the sandwich she wanted to feed him, but Martha wouldn’t have it.

“You can’t take care of Clark if you don’t take care of yourself. You don’t have to eat all of it but you do have to eat.”

Bowing to the inevitable, Lex picked up the sandwich bigger than both of his hands put together and tried to figure out how to get his mouth around more than half of a section.

“Clark looks a lot better this evening than he did even this afternoon,” Martha said.

“He said Jor-El snapped him out of a mental rut,” Lex said before giving up and splitting the sandwich into smaller pieces. Half the filling was going to get left on the plate at this rate.

Jonathan chuckled. “Can see you’re not a farmer, Lex.”

An odd shiver ran down Lex’s spine. It had been a bit since Jonathan had called him anything other than Luthor.

“We need to figure out how to keep Clark from falling back into that mental rut,” Martha said, slapping her husband on the shoulder.

“Optimally, I’d like to see him rejoin a normal life, or find a normal life somewhere else if he can’t stomach Smallville High in his current state.”

“Getting back in the chores would be a start,” Jonathan suggested. 

Martha laughed. “You’re just sick of Pete being so slow in the morning.”

“And afternoon,” Jonathan grumped. “And he spends half his time looking over his shoulder as if he expects Clark to jump out from behind the fence row.”

“While I’d like to see Clark get back to normal, I’m not sure if being here is going to allow him to accept the changes.” Lex took a sip of coffee and watched the Kents’ reactions to that comments. Jonathan turned red, but fought back his initial reaction. Martha just looked firm.

“What are you proposing?” Martha asked, sounding like the daughter of a lawyer she was.

“I have business meetings for the next three weeks, in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Washington DC. I’ve been shifting things around, but I can’t put these off much longer without putting LexCorp in danger.”

“What does that have—“

“Jonathan, shut up.”

“I want to take Clark with me. As far as anyone knows, he’d be my PA. Clark gets a chance to be female without anyone expecting anything different and I don’t have to spend the next three weeks worried sick about leaving him behind.”

“Clark doesn’t know anything about a job like that,” Jonathan said.

“He’s organized and detail oriented when he wants to bother,” Martha said. “I can teach him a few basics and he’ll pick up the rest quickly. At least, I assume you’d need him to actually do some work. If he’s just there as arm candy….” 

“Clark has been dealing with my PAs off and on since we met. He knows the basics and I agree, would learn the rest fast. He already knows the basics of the deals I’m working right now from playing sounding board. While he struggles with identifying many social cues, which makes a lot more sense all of the sudden.” Lex paused and tapped his finger to his chin. While Clark had been raised human, his brain structure and chemistry was likely different, which could explain why the one of the most beautiful men Lex had ever met was a social outcast and seemed socially retarded even in high school.

“While he struggles…? There’s nothing wrong with Clark’s understanding of people.” Jonathan smacked a hand into the table.

Lex waved the outburst off even as Martha punched her husband’s shoulder. “He does struggle with social cues when they aren’t ones he’s been exposed to extensively, or had explained, and his inability to make sense of social flirting does make a lot more sense now. However, that doesn’t matter because his sense for numbers and logic is impeccable. He’s been providing some interesting insights for me in the last few months and I’d like his take on these meetings anyway. This opportunity just means I have an excuse to bring him along. And pay him for his time.”

“Now see here,” Jonathan bellowed. “We don’t—“

“Shut up, Jonathan,” Martha snapped, and he did. “We can put the money towards Clark’s college fund. If Clark is going to act as Lex’s PA, he should get paid for his time.”

“I was going to suggest hiring a hand or two while we’re gone, to cover for Clark’s absence, and allow you to send Mr. Ross packing.”

“It’s winter. We don’t need as much help,” Jonathan said, his voice still tight but he was restraining himself now.

“And Pete still owes our family,” Martha said firmly. “I’ve spoken with his mother and she’s in complete agreement. He’d have lost his car if he hadn’t accepted. Pete keeps working until Clark is ready to come back, and at some point that boy is going to apologize.”

Jonathan leaned towards Lex and hissed, “She’s been denying him baked goods since that day.”

Lex hissed. “Harsh.”

“He doesn’t deserve pie right now,” Martha said, her tone flat.

The conversation derailed as a strong breeze blew through the kitchen, first towards the stairs, then towards the door.

“Do you have a draft?” Lex asked, looking about, perplexed.

“That was Clark.” Martha looked a little worried, but soon shrugged it off. “Clark will need clothes if he’s going with you on a business trip.”

Lex nodded. “I’ll be more than happy to cover that.”

“There’s no need to take more money—“

“Taking him is my idea. It is my responsibility to ensure he is an appropriate representative for LexCorp,” Lex said firmly.

“Lex is right. Clothes, a cell phone, laptop, and don’t forget make-up,” Martha said, ignoring any further grumbles from Jonathan. “He’ll be cranky about the makeover.”

“But having the right look will make doing his job easier,” Lex said, nodding. He already had a list of people to contact once he had Martha and Jonathan’s approval. And it seemed like Martha was inclined to go with this. “And the experience might help his morphic dissonance.”

“Agreed. When do you leave?”

“We have to be in New York Wednesday. I’d like at least one day in Metropolis to bring Clark up to date and get him a wardrobe. We can stay in the Penthouse”

“Make it two days. Leave for Metropolis in the morning.”

Lex nodded.

“Good. You have time for dinner then. Clark probably won’t put up with Jor-El much longer.” Martha vanished into the kitchen again and pots began to rattle.

Jonathan took the chance of his wife’s absence to glare firmly at Lex. It was clear he didn’t approve, but also clear he didn’t have a say. Still, Lex would feel better if he could placate the man a little, for Clark’s sake.

“I’ll take care of him, Mr. Kent.”

“Hmmm… You’d better.”

Oh to hell with it. Lex narrowed his eyes. “And do a better job than you. Or did you not consider the dangers when you allowed Dr. Bryce to take a sample of Clark’s blood?”

Jonathan turned deathly pale.

“I only hope she was telling me the truth when she claimed she was handing all she had over to me before she left town. Given how she was talking about my father.”


	12. Preparations

Dinner was tense, and Clark wasn’t sure why. It was a relief to head back to the manor with Lex, even if the plans they’d discussed for the next few weeks tied his stomach in knots. Clark did not want to masquerade as a woman for the next few weeks, let alone Lex’s PA. Except, he really didn’t want to sit around the farm either, waiting for Dad or Pete to crack again.

Pass.

He turned towards the stairs, planning to go over some of his homework before bed, when Lex waved him into the study.

Settling into the couch, Clark waited, and waited, while Lex and his head of security scanned the entire room for bugs and any other form of monitoring device. Bored, Clark scanned the walls and furniture as well using his x-ray vision to look through edges and walls. Studying the carvings around the mantle, his vision suddenly jumped forward, giving him a close up view of the smooth wood grain.

Holding his breath and blinking frantically, his vision flipped back to normal. Thank goodness. Just what he needed right now. Another ability.

At least this one wasn’t destructive.

“Clark?” Lex looked concerned, but Coulson was leaving so everything must have checked out okay.

“Yes?”

“You gasped.”

Oh. Woops. “Sorry, saw something in a new way.” Clark rubbed his eyes. “I’m not ready to deal with it.”

Lex frowned, but nodded. Then walked to the small safe hidden under his desk and opened it. “I’m sorry, this probably doesn’t help, but I wanted to take care of it before we leave for Metropolis tomorrow.” He pulled a reddish vial from the secured depths, studying it.

Clark looked at the vial, and was torn between groaning and gasping when his vision pulled that trick again and he was able to see the impurities in the glass, then the different components of the liquid inside. In fact, it looked a lot like pictures in his bio book of blood. Except, not?

“What is that?” He wanted to get up and move closer, but he couldn’t quite get his vision back to normal and didn’t want to trip over anything.

“Helen gave me this, before she left… It’s your blood.”

His blood?

Clark felt blood drain from his cheeks as he collapsed back into the cushions of the couch, eyes falling shut. His blood? Kryptonian blood? He could see differences immediately. She must have known he wasn’t human the moment she tried to do anything with it. And she had it just lying around? Who knew what might come from that simple vial… if not lead to his capture. 

“Make it fast?” he whispered.

The cushions next to him sank, the familiar, rich scent of Lex eddied close. “Clark? What are you thinking?”

Clark couldn’t answer. He was holding his breath, waiting for the guards to come take him away. LEx had planned it perfectly. With the Kents thinking Clark was going with Lex for weeks, they’d never suspect until it was far too late.

“Clark, I’m not going to hurt you.”

The cold press of glass slid across his hand, the weight behind it so light it might not have been there.

“I told your father Helen gave this to me, but now I’m giving it to you. Whatever you want to do with it, that’s up to you.”

Clark finally opened his eyes, and saw into Lex’s concerned greys. Fingers wrapped around his and closed his hand around the glass. Looking down, Clark finally saw Lex had given him the vial of blood.

“This is… all of it?” His heart was pounding. Lex might learn so much from this small sample of blood. Could he really be giving it away?

“Everything she gave me. I hope… well, she mentioned talking to my father, so there is some chance he knows about this, though I don’t know the specifics she might have shared. Do you know how much she drew while you were ill?”

Clark shook his head. He barely remembered that time and only knew Helen had been there from overhearing his parents arguing about it. And the baby.

“Then for now all we can do is hope she was telling the truth. However, I will keep an eye on my father and LuthorCorp, see if I can uncover anything he knows.” Lex released Clark’s hand, pulling back.

“I’m sorry,” Clark whispered. “I was afraid…” So afraid. Always so afraid.

“I’d noticed,” Lex said, his tone dry and sarcastic. “But… I think I understand.”

Clark opened his hand and considered the vial. It was too dangerous to leave around, and they couldn’t take it with them on their trip. Better to destroy it.

Triggering his heat vision was easier now, though keeping it off was still easier than controlling it. A concentrated blast boiled the blood and melted the glass, fusing the two into a diminished puddle in Clark’s hand. Which was really, really hot.

Reflexes he couldn’t explain had him blowing across his hand, and he felt the air frost against his touch. The puddle cooled into a solid, irregularly shaped chunk. 

Lex giggled.

Surprised, Clark looked over at his friend, and saw grey eyes alight with delight and curiosity.

“That is… amazing.”

“Didn’t know I could cool things like that,” Clark admitted, poking at the glass chunk with a finger of his other hand. It slid against his skin. Picking it up, he twisted it to catch the light. “Need a paperweight?” He offered the glass to Lex once he was certain there weren’t any sharp edges on the irregular form.

Lex blinked, staring at the shape for a minute before accepting. “I… My father is going to ask… And I am going to love refusing to explain just why something that looks like bad folk art is sitting there.”

~o0o~

“No, Pete. You are stuck with all those chores for you own behavior. I am not going to argue for you with the Kents.” Chloe rolled her eyes and yet again tried to tune out her idiot friend’s bitching. She wished he’d spend a little of his energy being worried about Clark. Her calls to Phil Coulson had only resulted in assurances that Clark and Lex were okay, but not in a state to receive visitors. She was getting seriously worried, but the Kents weren’t talking either.

And Pete didn’t even care.

“But, Chloe, they won’t even feed me when I’m over there.”

“Tough,” Chloe snapped. “You shouldn’t have insulted their son.”

“I didn’t insult Clark.” 

Yeah, even Pete couldn’t manage to say that with a completely straight face anymore. Maybe they were getting through to him.

“Hey, Chloe, Pete.” Dustin peered in the door of the Torch office. “Have you guys heard anything about Clark? I mean, how he’s doing?”

Chloe frowned and shook her head. “I wish. I heard Lex turned back last… Wednesday I think. But Clark’s been in seclusion since. I don’t think he’s taking….” Chloe waved her hands towards her chest.

Dustin nodded, wincing. “Man… if you talk to him, tell him how sorry I am. I never meant… you know.”

“I know.” Chloe nodded. “I know he doesn’t blame you. It’s just… You know our Clark, a magnet for all that is weird and wacky in Smallville.”

“True, dat.” 

Lana appeared over Dustin’s shoulder. “What’s that about Clark?”

Chloe sighed and waved as Dustin slipped off. She knew Lex had tried to keep the town princess out of things, and while she liked Lana a lot more than she had the year before, Chloe still didn’t know how Lana would respond to what had happened to Clark. And Clark did not need another friend turning on him.

“I’ve been worried. He never gets sick, but it’s been, what now, two weeks?” Lana didn’t linger in the doorway as Dustin had. She came all the way in and claimed a seat by the desk.

“Something like that,” Pete muttered.

“Shut up, Pete,” Chloe snapped, her last iota of good temper now gone. “You put your foot in it. For claiming to be his best, oldest friend, you sure turn on him a lot. I bet he wouldn’t be hiding out at Luthor Manor if you hadn’t said….” She trailed off, suddenly remembering she had Lana for an audience.

“Pete, what did you say to Clark?” Lana asked, her tone sweet, but there was a bit of fire in her brown eyes.

“Nothing,” Pete muttered.

“Damn it, Pete. Lana, have you heard the rumors, what happened to Clark?” Chloe watched as Lana’s expression wandered through confusion, disbelief, and uncertainty.

“I’ve heard rumors, mostly after Lex rented out the Talon Wednesday before last.” Lana frowned again. “But I’m not sure what to believe. Meteor rocks do a lot of strange things, but turning Clark into a girl?”

“Not meteor rocks,” Chloe said. “Something else. And half the school’s been playing with it. Just for Clark it doesn’t want to wear off. He’s stuck, and not dealing well. Pete… Pete flipped out, said he was being too accepting of having breasts just because he was dragged to buy some clothes that fit.”

Lana gasped. “Poor Clark. The last two weeks?” Her eyes filled with tears, making them seem more doe like than ever, but nothing spilled over to damage her perfect makeup. 

Chloe nodded. “Lex is investigating, especially since he got exposed. Took over a week to wear off.”

“Pete, how could you?” Lana turned on him. “He’s your friend, and must be going through a terrible ordeal. How could you turn on him like that?”

“You think I haven’t suffered for it?” he snapped. “I’m the one doing his chores while Clark is too freaked out to do his work. I’m the one getting glared at by both Kents every morning and evening. I’m the one getting lambasted by Chloe here every day. I get lectures from my parents when I am at home, and trust me that isn’t much of the time. Even in winter there’s an insane amount of work on the farm.”

“Have you tried apologizing?” Chloe asked dryly.

“When? He’s never home. No, he’s off hanging out with the Luthors and their surround sound systems and fancy cars. Maybe he’s whoring himself out to them both—“

Chloe would never get to learn what else Pete might have said in his anger. Lana’s hand lashed out and slapped him silent. She left a red mark across his dark cheek, but the other cheek was just as red when he turned back to face them. His jaw dropped and a hand crept up to cover his mouth as his eyes got wider and wider. Chloe herself had no words, and could only stare at him, feeling as though she had been slapped too.

Lana was not as restrained. “How dare you, Pete. Even in anger, how dare you.”

Silence filled the room for several minutes, before Pete finally dropped his hand. “I didn’t mean… oh shit.”

“Maybe you should think a bit,” Lana said. “This isn’t all about you, or your hatred of all things Luthor.” 

Pete looked away.

“Have you been keeping in touch?” Lana asked, her eyes now fixed accusingly on Chloe.

“I visited daily while he was at home, but since Pete…” Chloe trailed off. She just didn’t want to bring it up again. “He’s been hiding with Lex, and not taking visitors since Wednesday. I’ve got the number for Lex’s head of security. He’s been updating me.”

“When did you last call?”

“Friday. I figured I’d call tonight, drop off Clark’s homework at the front gate at least. Mr. Coulson promised to pass things along.”

“Why don’t you ask him if Clark would be willing to call?” Lana cocked her head, flipping her hair over her shoulder, as she asked.

Chloe opened her mouth to answer, but shut it again before a sound got out. Instead she flipped open her cell phone and dialed. Lana stood and shut the door, so no one coming down the hall would catch the illegal usage of a phone on school campus.

“Coulson.”

“Hi, Mr. Coulson. It’s Chloe Sullivan.”

“Yes, Miss Sullivan.” His voice sounded tighter than usual. “Am I am speaker?”

“Yes. I’ve got Lana Lang and Pete Ross with me. We’re all a little worried about Clark.”

“He’s doing better.”

“So could we swing by after school? Drop off his homework and see him?”

“I’m afraid not. Mr. Kent and Mr. Luthor are in Metropolis now.”

Chloe shared a frown with Lana. “When will they be back?”

“Three weeks.”

“What?” Pete bellowed. “What is that Luthor doing—“

Chloe slapped a hand over Pete’s mouth, and just the touch seemed to be enough to shut off the outrage. He looked apologetic over her hand.

“Mr. Luthor has meetings out of town and he and the Kents hoped that some time away from Smallville might help Mr. Kent come to terms with his new condition for the duration.” Coulson sounded cold, colder than Chloe had ever heard the man.

“Thank you, Mr. Coulson. I think I understand,” Chloe said. “We would like to hear from Clark. If he could give me a call sometime, I would very much appreciate it.”

“Of course, Miss. Sullivan. I will pass on your message.” A hint of wind on the mic hinted at movement, but rather than hanging up, Coulson spoke again. “Miss Sullivan, do you have access to a scanner?”

“Umm.” Chloe looked around and found one by the desk that probably worked. “Yes, I think so. Why?”

“Mr. Kent should continue to keep up with his classes. If you could scan his assignments and email them to him…”

“Of course. Do you have an email address in mind?”

“C Kent at Lexcorp dot com.”

“He’s working for Luthor now?” Pete muttered behind Chloe’s hand, but his eyes looked sad more than angry.

“I’ll send his assignments before I head home.”

The connection closed, and Chloe, expecting the abrupt end, turned off her phone.

“Well, that didn’t answer very many questions,” Lana commented.

“No.” Chloe frowned. “No it didn’t. But I can put the new questions in with the old in the email I send him after school. And I’ll let you know if he calls.”

She might have said more, but the bell signaling the end of lunch rang just then.

“Please do.” Lana smiled and wandered off to class.

“Why…. I mean… Luthor?” Pete muttered as he gathered up his half eaten lunch and his school books.

“Why not?” Chloe countered, halfway to the door. “Lex doesn’t treat him like an embarrassment or an abomination.”

~o0o~

Staring into the mirror, Clark kept touching himself in an attempt to convince himself it was real. The image touched the green silk blouse, and he felt the smooth slide of the material under his fingers. The gray suit was soft for wool, but Lex said good quality wool should be like that. The shoes were too nice, but not as unbelievable as the makeup on his face or the wig on his head. His natural curls were hidden under the dark updo, the faux hair pulled back into some kind of twist and roll at the back of his head.

“Sureal?” Lex asked, appearing over his shoulder. 

Clark nodded. 

“You should wear green more often. It brings out your eyes.”

Clark had to agree, though the delicate touch with makeup around the lids of his eyes probably were part of the effect, from what the specialist had told him while trying to teach him the tricks of being a woman that afternoon.

Unfortunately, it also reminded him of the clothes he’d bought when high on Red Kryptonite last fall. “This isn’t me,” he protested for the umpteenth time that day. It didn’t matter how many times he protested, Lex always got his way. Except on the issue of shaving and tweezing. 

_”Um, Lex?” Clark had pulled away from the wave of women invading the penthouse, dragging his friend with him. “They’re taking about shaving my legs and cutting my hair.”_

_“Yes?” Lex drawled. “It’s part of a normal woman’s beauty regime. If you’re going to stand by my side in business meetings, you need to look the part.”_

_“Umm, they’re going to have some trouble with that.” Clark winced at the thought of someone trying. “Mom gave up cutting my hair last fall. I kept breaking the scissors.”_

_Lex blinked, only now fully engaged in the conversation. “Even your hair?” Clark nodded. “How do you shave?”_

_“A special, heat resistant hand mirror.” Clark couldn’t resist a reflexive pass of his now completely smooth cheeks. “I couldn’t keep razor’s shape before, but started breaking them about the time my heat vision kicked in. Now I use that to burn the stubble off.”_

_“Hmmm.” Lex frowned. “Well, that does explain why you’ve gotten so wild of late.”_

_“I can trim my hair, using a couple of mirrors, but it’s hard to get anything very precise.”_

_“So a trim is out. I’ll have someone bring some wigs around. Legs would be a challenge. Do you think you could manage your arm pits, or should I make sure all the dresses are long sleeve?”_

_That didn’t make sense to Clark, but he figured the angles and nodded. “Think I can.”_

_“Guess this means no Brazilian.”_

Clark hadn’t know what that was either, and had made the mistake of asking one of the beauty consultants later. He flushed at the memory of her description. 

“It is you. Maybe not the Clark you’re used to, but flannel won’t due for the next few weeks. And it is definitely very much Miss Clara Kent.”

“Clara? Doesn’t that sound a little… pretentious?” Clark winced even as he asked it. He looked pretentious. His father would be appalled. 

“Maybe for Smallville, but I refuse to draw up papers for something like Callie or Calliope.”

Clark winced. “Yeah, that’s okay.”

“Besides, it was my mother’s middle name.” Lex said the last under his breath as he was turning away, and Clark barely caught it. He didn’t turn to confront Lex. His heart was pounding too hard and tears were threatening his mascara. Or was that eyeliner?

“You really think I can pull this off?” Clark asked instead, watching Lex in the mirror’s reflection. His friend had stalked off to the wet bar and poured a bunch of something golden in a cup. Probably scotch. That did seem to be Lex’s favorite. 

“I’m sure you can,” Lex purred. “You know the business, though we’ll go over it in more detail tomorrow. You definitely have the clothes, and they do say clothes make the man.”

Clark finally turned to face his friend, very glad they’d ditched the idea of heels. “Or woman?”

_”Stunning features, but such height,” the clothing consultant, Marissa, had said on first glance. “Even in a one inch heel she’ll tower over you. Is that really the look you want?”_

_“Stick with flats, even for the evening dresses. As long as the material runs full length, no one will notice,” Lex had countered. “Then she can loom over the competition without being overpowering next to me.”_

_Clark had asked Sheril about it when she’d shown up with half her store a little later. She knew he’d been in the same accident as Lex while all the other consultants and store owners just knew Lex’s new PA needed a new look. She’d been willing to discuss the concepts, but it still didn’t make much sense to Clark._

“Originally, man was the gender inclusive rather than the masculine exclusive,” Lex said. “It will take some practice, but you are a quick study when you put in the attention.”

Clark flushed under his makeup. He didn’t bother much because it would attract attention. He just had never been able to resist showing off a little when he was around Lex. He was having trouble keeping his grades average these days with all the new knowledge he’d picked up of late. Though the writing everything in Kryptonian incident had helped drop his grades for a few weeks.

“Honestly, Clark,” Lex said, suddenly at Clark’s side, his hand on Clark’s arm. “I wouldn’t have suggested this if I didn’t think you can manage, and succeed handily. And I do think it is an excellent chance to stretch your wings.”

Clark could decide which was warmer, Lex’s hand through the wool of his suit or the feeling in his chest caused by Lex’s words.


	13. New York - Day 1

Clark focused very, very carefully on not poking holes in or ripping the arms right off his chair. He wanted to just take a white knuckled grip and hold on desperately as the plane they were in took off from the Metropolis Airport, but he was still stronger than anyone had a right to be and so had to be careful.

He hated it.

Almost as much as he hated the idea that he was currently in a metal tube (so fragile) in the air with no means of support.

The only comfort in the madness that was now his life, was that Lex wasn’t paying attention to Clark’s little freak out. No, Lex was giving last minute orders to the four security staff (hand picked by Mr. Coulson) and one valet (Lex had a valet?) that were traveling to New York with them.

“We’ll go straight to lunch with Mr. Sinclair. I expect everything to be unpacked, Mathews, by the time we reach the hotel. Whenever that is.”

If all goes well, after lunch we’ll be invited to begin negotiations for supplying organic fertilizer to Mr. Sinclair’s supported farms up and down the east coast. Clark hasn’t quite worked out how the system of farms all works, but he thinks it’s a lot like the deal Lex offered Kent farms last year. If Jonathan hadn’t been so stubborn….

Yeah, that’s not a thought that’s going to keep Clark from ripping his, extremely comfortable and well upholstered, chair apart. 

Considering the insanity of having a valet to unpack and pack their luggage and make sure the extremely expensive ball gowns that Lex insisted on buying Clark can lose their wrinkles is another topic that doesn’t help Clark’s state of mind.

“Clara, we have a seven o’clock reservation?”

The silence, other than the rumble of the airplane’s engines, finally catches Clark’s attention, and he turns to find both Lex and Mathews staring at him. The four security staff are pointedly ignoring everyone else.

“Um, sorry?” Clark said, his fingers tightening, then releasing when he caught the faint squeal of stressed metal.

“Have you flown before?” Lex asked.

“And where would I have flown?” Clark said, his tone a little sharper than he’d intended. “It’s been... thirteen, thirteen and a half years since I flew. I think.”

Lex frowned, his brain busy behind shuttered eyes. Then he made the connection and his expression softened. “I suppose a fear of heights might be reasonable. But I assure you this plane is perfectly safe.”

“I’m trying to remember that.” Clark didn’t remember crashing to Earth during the meteor shower. If he did, being informed he was an alien might not have come as such a surprise. But a subconscious memory was a decent explanation for why heights always freaked him out. Clark had been trying to reassess some of his old phobias the last year or so, but that was one he hadn’t been able to overcome despite theorizing where it came from. And knowing that the fall probably wouldn’t kill him anyway.

“Hmm, do. Now, our reservations tonight?”

“Ah.” Clark grabbed the PDA Lex had explained the functions of yesterday. The schedule was in there somewhere, along with notes on their meetings for the next few weeks. Time to become Lex’s personal assistant in more than appearance.

~o0o~

“Mr. Luthor.”

“Mr. Sinclair. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”

The man in question was silver haired with handsome features if a prominent nose. His gray three piece suit looked expensive and elegant, and probably explained why Lex had added a tie to his suit before leaving the airplane. Clark hadn’t seen his friend in a tie before outside of dealing with the LuthorCorp board in Metropolis. 

“Likewise. I should warn you, I’ve been informed I need to be back at two to deal with more planning for Mother’s birthday dinner Friday.”

“That’s quite alright. I’ve a meeting at two thirty. I’m afraid I took the opportunity of being in New York to plan a number of face to face meetings.”

And Clark had orders to cancel or reschedule any of those meetings if Mr. Sinclair wanted to meet longer, but Lex would make it all work somehow. He was just that good.

The restaurant was very fancy and very discrete, but Clark had picked up some familiarity with such places on trips to Metropolis with Lex. So he only felt like an awkward country bumpkin instead of feeling like he was breaking quarantine even entering the place. The oddness of adding breasts barely added to the awkwardness of the situation.

Mr. Sinclair had met them by the restaurant’s front door, and had escorted them to their table, tucked in a quite back corner, himself. As Lex pulled out a chair and bowed Clark into it, to his complete embarrassment, Mr. Sinclair asked, “And who is your lovely companion?”

“Miss Clara Kent, my personal assistant,” Lex said with a broad smile.

Clark smiled, and did his best to fade into the background through the initial pleasantries and business talk. Though he did make two notes in his PDA, just to make it clear to Lex that he was listening.

“Miss Kent, you’ve allowed us to ignore you far too politely. A lovely young woman should never be ignored just for business.”

Clark felt his cheeks warm, but he forced himself to make eye contact with Mr. Sinclair. His mother had been very firm about the importance of seeming confident. “Not at all,” he said softly. “Business is why we are all here.”

“No, business is why we might meet tomorrow. Today is for meetings and greetings.” Mr. Sinclair smiled. “So, where did Lex find you? Harvard? Yale?”

“Smallville,” Clark said with a wry smile, paging mentally through the back history Lex had fabricated and relayed to Clark the day before. “Though I’m getting my MBA from MetU.”

“But you met in Smallville?” Mr. Sinclair asked. “That’s the small town your main factory is in, isn’t it?”

“Oddly enough, not so small anymore,” Lex said, “but since it’s named for a family rather than it’s size, the name is fixed.”

“A family?” Mr Sinclair asked.

“The Small family, of course.”

Clark chuckled and drew the conversation back. “My family runs an organic farm on the same side of town as Lex’s manor. We’re still mostly farmland out that way, though LuthorCorp seems determined to put in another housing complex nearby.”

“Unfortunately,” Lex said, his droll expression hiding the anger he felt at his father’s continued interference with Smallville. Clark barely knew him well enough to see the fire in grey eyes.

“But how does a girl from an organic farm catch a Luthor’s eye?” Mr. Sinclair asked. “Even attending MetU, you must have written an amazing resume.”

Clark laughed. “Not me, my brother.” The lie brought another flush of color to his cheeks. 

Lex was kind enough to take over. “My first day in Smallville, I ran over a roll of bailing wire on the bridge over the local river. Took a header right through the railing and just missed a highschool boy. Good thing too, since Clark fished me back out of the river a minute later. I’ve been trying to repay the Kents for that kindness for over a year.”

“Just did what anyone would do. Didn’t need a reward. Besides, Dad doesn’t take kindly to expensive presents,” Clark said softly.

“It was a truck,” Lex said. “A simple, ordinary—“

“Top of the line, cherry red truck,” Clark said. “And giving it up broke… Clark’s heart.”

“So you gave their daughter a job?” Mr. Sinclair said, breaking up the teasing that could easily have gone on some time. The older man had a curious twinkle in his eye, but Clark wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.

“Well, it is something they’ll take, but since Clara is actually quite good at business and regularly corrects my researchers advanced maths, she’s well worth the money to hire.”

Clark flushed again. “I try to be. I don’t want to be here just because my family is friends with Lex Luthor.” Oddly enough, that statement suddenly felt completely true. Clark wanted to help, not just be here to deal with his own issues. Glancing over at Lex through lowered eyes, he was surprised to see Lex smiling and looking oddly pleased.

~o0o~

“How are you doing, honey?”

Clark smiled though his mother couldn’t see it over a phone line. “I’m doing good. The wig is a bit weird, but… I’m really doing good.” And he was. Lunch had gone really well, and the meeting after. Dinner had been another meeting, but Clark had been able to just watch and listen. No one had looked at him funny, or acted like he didn’t belong. It was all foreign, but still felt pretty good.

“I’m so glad to hear that. I want you to make the most of this opportunity. Not just to adjust, but to see things.” There was an undertone of concern in Martha’s voice, but it was less blatant than it had been in weeks, and much less grating that Chloe’s frantic concern in every conversation the last three days.

Fortunately, Chloe was dealt with for the day. Other than class assignments and whether Pete was still being an asshole, what was there to talk about?

“We’re going to swing by the MET between meetings tomorrow, and MOMA tomorrow.” Clark was looking forward to visiting the museums with Lex. His friend was always fascinating to listen to when they went to Metropolis museums, and Clark was certain the stories would be just as good in a different city. “And he says he’s got a surprise tomorrow evening, but I think it’s opera tickets.”

“Ballet, actually,” Lex called from his position hunched over his over his laptop at the desk in the corner of the very elegant living room of the sumptuous suite they had in the absurdly expensive looking hotel overlooking Central Park.

“That sounds lovely,” Martha said. “I look forward to hearing all about it.”

“Clara, do you recall what that idiot LuthorCorp rep said about the oil figures?”

It took a second to realize Lex was talking to him (his name was not Clara, damn it). “Hang on a second, Mom.” Then Clark had to figure out who Lex was talking about. They‘d spoken to three LuthorCorp reps that afternoon, most commonly called the fucking idiot, bastard, and complete moron respectively. But the fucking idiot, or Dan Banbridge, had been the one discussing oil futures, so Clark dug up the conversation and repeated the man’s statements verbatim. He hadn’t said much.

Once Clark stopped speaking, the room picked up a weighty silence. He looked over at Lex, who was staring back with a rather wide eyed expression.

“Did I get something wrong?” Clark asked.

“No… I don’t think… was that verbatim?” Lex rarely stuttered or struggled for words, so Clark wasn’t sure what to make of that.

Clark shrugged. “I think so. I’m usually pretty good at remembering… well, most everything.” 

“Eidetic memory?” Lex frowned. “Everything? With your grades?”

“Pretty much.” Clark shrugged again. “I don’t always understand it without a lot of effort, but the words….”

“Can you give me a transcript of all the meetings we had today?” Lex started looking rather excited.

Clark nodded. “I think so.”

“Finish talking to your mother, then I want to see those next.”

“Kay. Mom?”

“Yes, dear?” Martha sounded oddly choked up.

“You heard?”

“Yes, sweetie. You have work to do. I should let you go. You have done your homework?”

Clark rolled his eyes, glad she couldn’t see that. She’d asked as soon as he called too. He gave her the same answer he’d given then. “Before dinner. Chloe emailed me today’s. The English paper is due next week, but I’ll do that this weekend and email it to her.”

“Keep up the good work, Clark. Love you.”

~o0o~

Martha hung up the phone with tears streaming from her eyes. She leaned on the counter for some time, sobbing softly, before Jonathan came in from his evening chores.

“Martha? Is Clark okay?” He came up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“Scared to death of flying, apparently,” Martha muttered, remembering how emphatic Clark had been about his dislike of being in a metal tube suspended on nothing.

“And that has you crying?”

She turned in his arms and pressed her damp eyes to his shoulder. “Oh, Jonathan, what have we done?”

Warm hands soothed down her back, and muscles clenched tight under his skin, but neither words of comfort nor words of condemnation came pouring from Jonathan.

“Did you know Clark as a photographic memory? Perfect recall?”

The hands paused for a moment before continuing their gentle touch. “No. Are you sure?” 

“Lex asked him what someone said in a meeting this afternoon, and Clark rattled the man’s speech off verbatim, completely with inflection and I believe his accent.”

“That’s... that’s pretty impressive.”

“I’m wondering… we’ve always made Clark keep his other abilities secret. How many things that would be special, but normal to a human, have we caused him to suppress?”

Jonathan set his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away a little, looking down to catch her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“An eidetic memory is rare, but normal. We’ve always told Clark not to stand out in school, but how much better might he be doing if he actually tried? Has he ever tried? Are we holding him back?”


	14. Of Investigations and Jewels

Chloe was ignoring Pete. It was better for her sanity to do so. Otherwise she might be tempted to give him a piece of her mind. Again. And he’d start whining about how everyone is ganging up on him. Even more. Because right now he was whining. And she was not listening.

The knock on the doorframe of the Torch office was a relief. The expression on Andy Miller’s face or the way he was supporting Tina Sheffield was not.

“Come in. What happened?” Chloe shuffled to the door, closing it behind Andy and Tina before hustling them into chairs. Tina was crying, quietly but soggily. Chloe pointed at the box of Kleenex on her desk, waving at Pete until he got a clue and handed the tissues over. 

“I walked in on her and Mrs. Henderson,” Andy said.

“That bitch,” Tina snapped, then started sobbing more loudly. “She put her hand up my blouse and suggested… suggested….”

Chloe was already reaching for her phone when Andy continued. “I know Mr. Luthor is looking into Mrs. Henderson’s behavior at school. I thought… Tina said she wants to press charges.”

The preverbal light bulb went off. Tina was fifteen, a genius who’d so far skipped two years of school and was finishing her junior and senior years simultaneously. IE, she’s underage, even in Kansas. Chloe flipped her phone open and dialed Mr. Coulson.

“Lex is out of town, but I know his head of security can get in touch with him,” she explained as the line rang. Email would take too long, and she had Clark’s number, but he’d be in the same meeting as Lex and probably wouldn’t answer. Better to go through the security staff. “We’ll get someone to help you make a statement.”

~o0o~

“We performed a thorough cleaning of the line when we decided to start an organic line of fertilizer. I’d have preferred to build a new line, but we don’t have the funds for that at this time. My hope is that in building relationships like the one here proposed, when the farms we supply are ready to move towards the next level of organic certification, LexCorp Fertilizer will be ready to build that new line and maintain the level of organic quality required at that next level.”

Clark smiled behind his PDA at Lex’s smooth patter. Mr. Sinclair had been impressed enough yesterday to allow them this meeting today. Hopefully he’d be impressed enough with the details of the crap factory to offer the supply contract.

Mr. Sinclair’s response was delayed when Nate, one of Lex’s security guards, came into the room and slipped Lex a note.

“I’m sorry, can we recess for a few minutes?” Lex asked the moment he scanned the paper’s contents. “Something has come up that I need to attend to in Smallville. This shouldn’t take more than ten or fifteen minutes to get going.”

“Of course,” Mr. Sinclair said, waving Lex off.

Lex stood, and passed Clark the note before heading out. Clark skimmed it.

_Mr. Luthor,_

_Chloe Sullivan has a Tina Sheffield (15) who wishes to press charges against Pamela Henderson for sexual assault. Requests assistance._

_Coulson_

“Lex?” Clark was flabbergasted by the contents. Poor Tina. “Her parents are probably out of town.”

Lex barely paused in response to Clark’s voice, but nodded and strode out, already pulling his phone.

“You know what this is about, Miss Kent?” Mr. Sinclair asked once the door was again closed.

Clark nodded, sadly. “A recent series of interactions with the high school population uncovered hints at improper behavior of one of the teachers towards the students. Unfortunately, at that time Mr. Luthor could not get anyone to admit to anything publicly.” He tapped the note in his hand, then tucked it into the folder he was carrying for documents. “It appears she has struck again, and this time the student is willing to step forward.”

“And how is Mr. Luthor involved in a student pressing charges against a teacher?”

“Mr. Luthor has a thing for protecting the students of Smallville, whether the parents realize it or not. He once exchanged himself for an entire class of hostages when an ex-employee went a little crazy at the factory. I… Clark was one of them.” It was hard to think of himself in the third person, pretending to be his own older sister.

“Oh my. Miss Kent….”

“It turned out fine. They saved each other.” Though it was closer than Clark ever wanted to admit. He still didn’t know how he’d pulled Earl and Lex back onto the catwalk. “The town has its issues with Luthors. Lionel Luthor has done us little good and a lot of harm. My father is probably just about the head of the “I Hate Luthor” club. But Lex… well, the younger folks know who to turn to when we need an adult to help with something odd. Lex has yet to turn anyone away.” Usually because it was Clark asking, but that was not relevant just now.

“So what is he doing now?”

“Probably contacting his private investigator to listen in at the police station, and hopefully hiring the poor girl a lawyer to stand in for her parents since they’re pretty much never in town.”

“You know this girl, the one who’s coming forward?”

Clark appreciated how Mr. Sinclair avoided the word victim as much as he did. Tina deserved to be known as more than a victim. “She grew up in Smallville and is only a year younger than… Clark. We’re a bigger town than we tend to admit, but the small town attitude stuck around so we still tend to know everyone and everyone’s business.”

Lex returned before either of them could say more. Clark raised an eyebrow at his friend. Lex nodded.

“I must admit, I was hesitant to work with a Luthor,” Mr. Sinclair began as Lex sat down. “Your family has a bit of a vicious reputation.”

“Well deserved,” Lex admitted. “My father is quite proud of it.”

“You, however, while it is not yet well known, seem to have a different reputation building.”

Clark spotted an incipient frown on Lex’s face, quickly smothered by a calm mask.

“Your assistant’s opinion of you has impressed me, as have your action within Smallville.”

Lex glanced at Clark, then smiled at Mr. Sinclair. “Thank you.”

“The price you want, however, is still too high. I propose five less per unit, and if you’re so eager to build relationships that will grow, accept an invitation to my mother’s birthday party tomorrow night. I’ll introduce you Peregrine Safe.”

Clark choked on his next breathe. Peregrine Safe owned the biggest farming supply store chain on the east coast. Lex had been bitching for months about needing to meet the man.

Lex let a small smile curl up the right side of his mouth. “You are an excellent negotiator, Mr. Sinclair. Agreed.” He offered a hand, which Mr. Sinclair shook firmly.

“Adam, please. And I sense you prefer Lex.”

“I am not my father, Adam. He’s Mr. Luthor.”

~o0o~

“That seemed to go well,” Clark commented once they were back in the hotel room.

Lex looked over with a manic grin. “An introduction to Peregrine Safe and an invitation to the party? Do you have any idea what this will do for my reputation? For LexCorps’ reputation?”

Clark smiled. Lex had told him enough to have a pretty good guess. Tomorrow was going to be very important.

“And I couldn’t have done it without you.” Lex stepped up and clasped Clark’s hands in his. “I don’t know what you said to him while I was out, but it was clearly just the right thing.”

“I’ll put it all in the transcript when I type it up,” Clark said. “But you didn’t need me. You’re good at this, at business and making friends with people.”

“But you provide the proof that just maybe I’m not all a pretty façade. My father can talk a good line, but he’ll gut you as soon as he has what he wants. I don’t know if I could have convinced Adam Sinclair that I’m not the same if you hadn’t sat there and backed me up every step of the way.”

“Then I’m glad I was here to help.”

Lex smiled, tightened his grip on Clark’s hands for a moment, and let go. “For all the pain it’s caused you I’m sorry, but right now the timing of that stupid necklace has been perfect for me. Your parents would never have let you come to New York otherwise.”

“And I’d have never seen the Met. I call it a win all around,” Clark said, trying to keep his tone light despite the yawning hole in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to help Lex, enjoyed helping Lex. He still didn’t like being female.

“We’re staying through Sunday, just in case I can finagle a meeting with Mr. Safe over the weekend. Call the concierge and see if we can’t get tickets to something interesting on Broadway for Saturday night.” Lex waved magnanimously. “I’ll let you choose.”

“You’re too kind,” Clark said dryly, settling into one of the very comfortable chairs that decorated the room and pulling out his laptop. Or rather, the very nice laptop that Lex had given him as PA. “Hey, how’d it go with Tina?”

“I contacted my investigators, who were at the school inside of ten minutes.” Lex smirked. “Then, to make things better, I contacted my legal department and asked for a lawyer to work with Tina. They suggested Randolph Brown, who apparently has a serious thing for protecting little girls. His daughter is about Tina’s age. He’s not from our usual pool of lawyers, but a few minutes talking to him convinced me he’ll be an excellent resource for this project and well worth the money.”

“Lex… thank you. I know most of the small minded idiots back home won’t say it, but thank you.”

“No need to thank me, Clark. I’ve got a bit of a thing about child molesters myself.”

Clark could only imagine how many possible horrible things Lionel Luthor would have ignored that might have left that gleam of anger in Lex’s eyes.

“In fact, you call the concierge and I’ll call Mr. Brown and see how things went this afternoon.”

~o0o~

Clark felt like an idiot. The makeup looked… decent. The wig with the up-do was okay. The dress just felt wrong, but at least felt nice against his skin. The brown of the fabric—silk?—seemed to make his skin look golden. Was that a good thing? The makeup they gave him in Metropolis seemed to emphasize the gold tones, so maybe they’d planned this. Lex had insisted this was the dress to wear tonight.

Clark still felt like an idiot.

At least he didn’t have to feel like an idiot in high heels. Walking wasn’t too hard in the shoes Lex had picked out to go with the dress. And they matched the dress. Clark faintly remembered there being a discussion of custom dying.

This was insane. How could he possibly pull off playing Lex’s arm candy tonight?

Walking from his room into the suite living room, Clark almost tripped over the end of his long skirt.

“Lex, I can’t—“

“You look stunning.” Lex’s words cut through Clark’s panic. “That dress looks even better on you than I remembered.”

Clark froze a few feet past the doorway, looking down at the green embroidery that decorated the skirts, the neckline, the sleeves. “I can’t do this,” he whispered.

“Yes you can,” Lex insisted. He walked closer, a large velvet box in his hands. His hand cupped Clark’s chin and lifted until their eyes met. “You can do anything. And you look amazing.” He pulled back and opened the box. “And you’ll fit right in with this.”

Inside the box was a stunning jewelry set, emeralds forming intertwining leaves set in gold branches. There was a bracelet, necklace, and pair of earrings. “Those are… wow. Where… how…?”

“I saw them the other day, and realized they’d match your dress.”

“Lex... those must have been so expensive. I can’t….” Clark took half a step back.

“It’s a rental,” Lex said with an eye roll. “The earrings are out since you’re not pierced, but you’re wearing the rest.”

~o0o~

Lex felt eyes from all over the room focus on him and his companion the moment they walked into the ballroom Sinclair had rented. Clark’s hand tightened on his arm, and looking over Lex could see the panic in the young man’s eyes.

“You’re doing great,” Lex whispered. “Don’t worry, most of them are looking at me.” Which wasn’t the complete truth. Whoever Lex Luthor brought to a party was worth a look. But if it helped Clark calm down to think so….

“Bullshit,” Clark muttered, but the grip on Lex’s arm dropped below bruise levels.

Clark clung through greeting their hosts, Adam Sinclair and his stunningly turned out mother. He clung as they mingled and nibbled on appetizers. He clung as a brightly grinning Bruce Wayne appeared through the crowd and clapped Lex on the shoulder.

Oh shit.

“As I live and breathe. Lex Luthor. I didn’t know you were on good terms with the Sinclairs.” 

A pointed dig, but Lex just grinned. “A new association, Bruce. I didn’t know you got along with them either.”

“Nonsense. Mrs. Sinclair was a dear friend of Mother’s.”

Which meant she may well have known Lillian Luthor. Shit. How could Lex have forgotten that?

“But do introduce me to your lovely companion, Lex.”

Had Bruce offered the chance, Lex would have resisted introducing Clark. No need to bring attention. But now…. “Bruce, this is my assistant, Clara Kent. Clara, a fellow boarding school survivor and sometimes business rival, Bruce Wayne.”

Clark had survived enough introductions tonight so as not to wince when Bruce scooped his hand and kissed it instead of offering a handshake, but no one missed the uncomfortable expression that crossed Clark’s face as those long fingers caressed more than held.

“Enchante, Miss Kent. I must say, I never expected Lex to find a companion worthy of those gems.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Lex grabbed Bruce’s arm and tugged him away from Clark. “Clara, can you excuse us a few minutes? I need to discuss something with Bruce here.”

The flare of panic in Clark’s eyes only lasted a moment before he plastered a sweet smile, doubly so on female lips with a hint of lipstick, on his face. “Of course, Lex.” Their point of contact dropped away and Clark sauntered off… probably towards the bathroom. Eh, wherever he went, Lex would find him easy enough. Clark towered over most of the men and women here, even in flat shoes. 

And Lex would know Clark anywhere in any crowd.

With a pained smile, Lex pulled Bruce onto the balcony, ignoring the way the winter air bit into his skin through his impeccably tailored suit.

Crossing his arms, Lex spat, “Alright, get it out.”

Bruce looked delighted, his eyes twinkling. “She doesn’t know, does she?”

Lex didn’t deign to offer any of the possible answers to such an unspecific question.

“Don’t try to stonewall me, Lex. I know that necklace. Who is this woman that you find her worthy of wearing your mother’s jewelry?”

Fighting back the urge to run his hand over his scalp—and he only had the urge to do so because it was so cold out—Lex shrugged and turned to look out over the city skyline. “She’s my PA. I knew she’d need a little something to fit in tonight, and that set matched her dress.”

Bruce stepped up to Lex’s side, pretending to watch the skyline but surely watching Lex from the corner of his eye. “Bullshit.”

Anger surged through Lex, though he couldn’t tell if it was towards Bruce or himself. “What right do you have—“

“Lex.” The hand on his shoulder was gentle, the voice soft and friendly. “I know we’ve been at odds of late—”

Lex snorted. That was an understatement. Bruce had loudly disapproved of Lex’s choice of rebellion and their every meeting had been an argument for years. Which was part of why they hadn’t seen each other since Lionel decided Smallville was the solution.

“But I do care. Things seem to have turned around of late. LexCorp is doing well. I want to understand.”

“Clara is a friend. A farmer’s daughter from Smallville. I wanted to help her feel… comfortable.”

And somehow, as always, Bruce saw the truth in the bullshit and drove straight for the core. “You’re in love with her.”

Lex flinched. Love. That was an emotion he didn’t really understand. Lust. Obsession. Those he understood, and knew himself capable of. But love?

“I’m fond of her, but nothing has happened and nothing will.” And not just because Lex feared Jonathan Kent’s shotgun. Strangely enough, Lex had too much respect for Clark. Who was confused, scared, and very straight. 

Bruce had turned to face Lex fully and was studying him openly. “You really have changed.”

Lex glared from the corner of his eye and raised an eyebrow. 

“If this is her doing, I like her already.”

_More so than you’ll ever know._ “Smallville is a strange place….” Lex meant to say more, but how could he express everything he’d learned since arriving in Smallville. He’d died and come back, offered his life unselfishly, watched his father turn away again and again, aped a love that he’d thought he’d meant, had his life threatened again and again, and learned that humanity was not alone in the universe. And that was only a few highlights. “Clara is only part of the equation.”

“But she is part of it.” Bruce looked a moment longer, his expression not suited to the playboy shown in the tabloids. “I’m glad.”

“Don’t tell her about the jewelry.” 

“You didn’t tell her it was your mother’s?”

Lex shook his head. “I told her it’s a rental. She’s not used to all….” Lex waved his hand towards the ballroom. “This.”

“I’ll hold my tongue. For now.”


	15. Jewels Part 2

Clark headed towards the bathroom after Lex headed off with his old friend, but stopped before he got there. He didn’t need to use the bathroom, not enough to bother with all the layers and being crammed in a small stall. Nor did he really want to see himself in a mirror again just yet. The skirt was enough of an identity disruption for the moment.

Before Clark could start a confused wander, Mrs. Sinclair appeared at his elbow.

“Miss Kent, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Mrs. Sinclair.”

“Phillippa, please, and I will call you Clara. Are you enjoying yourself, Clara?”

Clark shrugged, not quite sure how to answer.

“Ah, yes, my son mentioned you’re not from these rarified levels of society. This must all feel a little strange.”

“A little,” Clark admitted. More than a little really, with silk skirts instead of plaid flannel, but that was hard to explain.

“Let me introduce you around a little, Clara, since Lex has abandoned you for the moment. Then when he comes to retrieve you I’ll have a chance to get to know the young man who’s so impressed my son the last few days.”

Ah, now Clark understood why this dignified matron had sought him out of all people. “I would be honored.”

Phillippa hooked her arm around Clark’s and started gently guiding them around the room. Between introductions to various well-dressed guests and bits of insipid conversation, they spoke. “I’d also like to hear more of the town that produced such a lovely beauty as yourself. Adam tells me you have a little brother?”

Clark was almost used to that. “Clark. He’s sixteen.”

“Still stuck in high school. Poor thing.” Phillippa sounded so sincere that Clark was able to resist the urge to snicker, but part of him could imagine Chloe’s reaction if he ever told her about this conversation. “And your parents own a farm?”

“Third generation,” Clark said with a bit of pride, not thinking about how close they were to losing it on a monthly basis of late. “We grow all organic produce and run milk cows.”

“Ah, you must have been an excellent resource for young Lex on developing that organic line for his fertilizer factory.”

Clark shrugged. “He didn’t need much help from anyone in formulating his plans.”

Phillippa patted Clark’s hand and her smile seemed to know more than Clark could begin to fathom. “If you say so, my dear.” Scooping a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, she change directions and topics. “Your parents must be quite tall. Or all that organic milk works wonders. You quite tower over everyone here.” Which was true. Phillippa barely came to Clark’s shoulder, her son to Clark’s nose. But he was rather used to towering over everyone.

“Dad is rather tall, Mom… average I guess. But Clark and I are adopted and I’m afraid neither of us really remembers our biological parents.” A moment of burning rage had Clark closing his eyes against literally starting something burning.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up sensitive topics. But how wonderful that you and Clark found a loving home.”

Clark smiled down at the stately matron. “The Kents are amazing, always have been. We’re very lucky.” And Clark meant every word.

Their private conversation lagged as a gaggle of matrons came to exchange birthday greetings with the hostess. Clark quite lost track of all the names and connections being explained to him by the rapid patter of voices. But that was okay, as long as he smiled they seemed willing to just talk at him without expectation of participation. Until….

“I haven’t seen a necklace like that in decades. I swear the last was around the neck of Lillian… oh what was her name?”

Clark focused in on the woman who’d spoken to her nearest companion, and caught the reply.

“Bellame. She married that wretched Luthor man in Metropolis, poor dear. Had a necklace just like that.”

“Wonder what happened to it?”

“Probably locked in a vault somewhere.”

Phillippa cut in. “Don’t be absurd. I’m sure this is it. Such a unique piece. Miss Kent here works for Lillian’s son, and it does go beautifully with her dress.”

Clark found his fingers creeping up to trace the emeralds set into the gold twigs around his neck. Were they really…? Could this be…? Would Lex have…?

“Clara, there you are.”

Lex’s reappearance, and at just this moment, made Clark jump a little. “Lex…. Done talking with Mr. Wayne?” Turning, she found not only was Lex at her shoulder but Mr. Sinclair, Adam, was at his.

“Quite.” Lex looked less than pleased, but it was mostly hidden by the solidly affable mask he wore. “May I steal my assistant back, Mrs. Sinclair? Your son promised me a business introduction and I need Clara to keep everyone appropriately distracted.” There was a definite twinkle in Lex’s eyes, and Clark didn’t know what to make of that or the comment. 

“Of course, Mr. Luthor.”

“Lex, please.”

“Phillippa then. But I expect you both to come back later. I want to get to know my son’s new business partner.”

“Phillipa, of course.” Lex bowed over her hand and pressed a dignified kiss to its back. “As my hostess commands.” He held out his arm when he straightened, and Clark placed his hand. “We shall be back shortly.”

~o0o~

Clark considered asking Lex about the necklace while they walked over to meet Mr. Safe. He considered asking Lex about it every time they wandered from one group to another through the evening, and again while they were alone in the car going back to the hotel. Every time he thought about it, his fingers crept up and traced the bottom most leaf, his stomach clenched, and his lips stayed shut.

~o0o~

The loss of the warmth of Clark’s hand on Lex’s arm, even through the thick layers of his suit, left Lex shivering slightly. Clark strode straight for his room, determination to get out of that dress written all over his face.

“Wait, jewelry first,” Lex called, slipping into his room to retrieve the aged green velvet box his mother had always kept the set in from the safe. When he returned to the living room, Clark was standing by his door, studying the clasp on the bracelet with an uncertain frown.

“Can you…?” Clark shoved his arm towards Lex. “I’m afraid I’ll push too hard and break something.”

“We’ll have to get you something inexpensive to practice on,” Lex suggested, tucking the box under his arm and carefully opening the clasp on the bracelet. Once it fell free, he opened the box and set the bracelet in its niche. 

“Why?” Clark asked. “I’m not going to wear anything like this on the farm.”

“You have a year before you can turn back,” Lex said, stepping behind Clark to undo the necklace. “You might want to wear necklaces from time to time. Men wear necklaces sometimes too.”

Clark’s shoulders twitched as Lex’s fingers brushed skin, picking up the back of the necklace to undo the clasp.

“Not in Smallville.”

Did Clark’s voice sound a little off? A little broken? Lex pushed the thought aside and pulled the necklace loose, lifting it around Clark’s head in the reverse of the motion he’d used to put it in place earlier that evening.

Helen had never let him put a necklace on her.

“You never know,” Lex said, firming up the quaver in his own voice as he turned to tuck the necklace away. “You won’t be in Smallville forever. But it’s up to you.” Lex would push on proper clothes and trying new things, but he wouldn’t force a style on Clark.

“Lex.” Clark’s hand came down on Lex’s shoulder, big and warm, as Lex was closing the velvet box. “That necklace….”

Lex’s stomach clenched. He hadn’t left Clark alone with Bruce, so what…?

“Some of the women… they thought it was your mother’s.”

Shit. “They’re right.” Lex pulled down the mask he used with his father, forced his tone into jovial pleasantness. He smiled as he straightened and looked at Clark. “It matched the dress.”

Clark’s fingers, still huge even in female form, traced a line across the velvet of the jewelry box. The bracelet had barely fit around that large wrist, and the necklace had sat much tighter to that full neck. And they still looked stunning.

Green eyes that seemed the same hue as the necklace’s emeralds met Lex’s. “Thank you.”

And with those simple words, no explanation, no questions, Clark vanished into his room.

Lex sucked in a huge lung full of air, feeling like he’d failed to do so for minutes on end.

He really needed a drink.

~o0o~

Lex had loaned Clark his mother’s jewelry. Clark leaned his back against the closed door to his room, eyes adjusting to the dim light of the city coming through the window, and tried to breathe. He didn’t know what to make of this revelation. He’d been wearing Lillian Luthor’s emeralds.

Oh hell, Clark couldn’t deal with this right now, but he could ditch the wig and the dress.

Sleep. Maybe it would all make sense in the morning.


	16. Houston

“This sounds like an excellent opportunity. However, why offer us an in? Why not do the research yourself and make every oil company pay you for it?”

Clark’s heart fluttered at Lex’s answering smile. So confident, so open, and yet hiding everything. Lex was good at that. More so than Clark had ever realized before. It was Monday, and they’d barely spoken since the party. Clark, because he was still trying to make sense of what happened that night. He wasn’t good with subtle messages. And Lex, well, who knew why Lex did anything. Maybe he was trying to give Clark space. Maybe he was embarrassed about Clark finding out about the necklace.

But whatever tension existed between Clark and Lex, nothing threw off the young businessman in pursuit of a new project. Even as Clark tried to analyze Lex’s expression, Lex was responding to Mr. Sands of Incorporated Oil.

“LexCorp does not at present have the experience, facilities, or money to properly research the safety of using this new bacteria.”

“Safety?” asked Mr. Sims, one of the other executives in the meeting room in a Houston highrise. “Either it eats up the oil spill or it doesn’t? What else is there to look at?”

“Mr. Sims, gentlemen of Incorporated Oil, LexCorp did not develop this bacteria. We did not research ways to more efficiently clean up oil spills. We consist at present of a fertilizer factory, a small research lab, and a lot of small town hopes and dreams. We found this bacteria—”

“Found?” Mr. Sands asked, looking puzzled at the papers Lex had handed out when they arrived. Or rather, Clark had handed out as Lex’s PA. “Something like this doesn’t just… appear.”

“Under normal circumstances, no, it doesn’t,” Lex agreed, flipping through his copy of the file. “However, if you check section six, you’ll see LexCorp and Cadmus Lab’s research into the oddities of Smallville and its surrounding areas since the meteor shower of ’89.”

Clark shivered. The word research always did that to him. But he’d known it was coming. Lex had warned him, let Clark read everything. It was a Pavlovian reaction for Clark though, one he might never escape.

“I looked into that when you sent your proposal,” Mr. Sims said, sounding like he was rolling his eyes. “No one else has any concerns about the meteors. The EPA ruled them harmless.” 

Lex nodded, but had that small smirk that said you were an idiot. “It’s true, the EPA failed to notice the actual risk of the meteors, and to date I’ve been unable to convince them to reassess the situation. However, the people of Smallville are not so oblivious to the mutagenic effects of the Smallville Meteors. I simply cannot in good conscience allow a mutated bacteria into the general environment, to be used anywhere, without confirming it won’t cause further damage and will die off when its purpose is served.”

“I want proof that there is any risk,” Mr. Sims said snottily.

This time, Lex slid his hand over his bald pate. “I was there the day of the meteors, complete with red curls. When I woke up in Metropolis General Hospital several days later, not a hair remained. Which was only the surface of my change. My researchers at Cadmus are still trying to make sense of the changes to my genetic structure. 

“I’m only one of the more visible mutants. People in Smallville, plants, animals, have all experienced changes. And not such minor, superficial changes. The football coach of the local highschool became pyrokinetic.”

“Pyrokawhatici?” Mr. Sands asked. 

Clark couldn’t stay silent in the corner any longer, even as nervous as he was. Clark had promised he’d back Lex on this, like he had with Mr. Sinclair, and he’d made his own plans. “He controlled fire. Burned one of his students and threatened several more. Tried to kill the school principal.”

“You are familiar with this phenomenon, Ms….” Mr. Kennison asked. He’d been quiet up ‘til now, in his own corner, but the other executives seemed to defer to his question.

“Kent, Mr. Kennison,” Clark said, remembering Lex’s suggestion to always remember names and use them. “I grew up in Smallville.” Lex made an aborted complaint, probably trying to get Clark to stop, but Clark shook his head and continued. “My brother and I have been helping to contain the situation when someone gets out of control for several years.”

“What kinds of situations?”

Clark chuckled darkly and shrugged. “Pick a nightmare. Some mutants are mild, quite. An elderly woman lost her eyesight and gained psychic abilities. She was still just a friendly old woman. But some, like the coach, are terrifying. A classmate gets bitten by bugs exposed to the meteors, and becomes a bug. A boy falls through the ice in Crater Lake and starts sucking the heat out of everyone he meets. Psychosis is a common side effect of the more extreme mutations.” 

The men in the room were either appalled and scared, or scoffing. Mr. Sims looked ready to cut in, so Clark upped the ante.

“Or, how about one that did make the news, even if no one understood. A plant exposed to the meteor produced a pollen that destroyed a person’s inhibitions. One day of wild experiences was followed by fever, coma, and death…” Clark let his voice trail off, then finished up softly. “If Lex’s researchers hadn’t found a treatment, my father would have been one of the victims.”

Silence rang through the room for a good minute after that. Clark could tell from Lex’s expression that he was going to get an earful later, but that things were also looking better on the negotiations.

Finally, Mr. Kennison broke the silence. “My sympathies, Ms. Kent. It seems Smallville is a much more dangerous place than anyone realizes. However, why is it you and your brother are helping to deal with situations instead of the authorities?”

Clark smiled at the gray-haired man. “If the authorities find out….” Clark had to cough to clear his throat, his panic hitting again. “I was raised, being warned that if anyone found out what the mutated can do, we’d be dissected in a lab. No one tells the authorities. And most won’t acknowledge there’s anything strange, for fear that admitting it will lead to exposure for others. So those of us who do know have to handle things. Most of the dangerous types are fast, strong, more than most people. So to keep up….” Clark felt his cheeks pinking a little. He couldn’t actually say it. Maybe the implication would be enough.

Lex placed a hand on Clark’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “LexCorp acknowledges the problem, and seeks solutions that don’t include classifying the people of Smallville as non-human. I understand the fears of Clara and her family and friends. I’ve been through many of the tests in my youth, and wouldn’t wish that on anyone.” Lex paused, glaring at the men in this room that could probably have half of Smallville shipped off to a lab in a heartbeat. “But I also don’t wish to spread the mutations, and if those bacteria are capable of doing so, they cannot be allowed into the general environment.” 

Mr. Kennison was nodding even if the other men in the room looked sour or angry. Fortunately, no one looked like they were plotting.

“Unfortunately, LexCorp is not currently in a place to do the necessary research or spend the necessary money without certainty of a return on investment.” Lex held his hands out as if he were begging for assistance. “Incorporated Oil has the resources, and if this bacteria is of use, will reap the rewards.”

“But this is probably just a wild goose chase,” Mr. Sands spat.

“Any research might be a wild goose chase,” Lex countered. “It is up to men like us to weigh the risks against the rewards.”

~o0o~

Lex slammed the door to the hotel suit after Clark passed through. “You should have warned me before pulling a stunt like that,” he hissed, glaring at Clark.

“I wanted to help,” Clark said, plastering on what he knew was a flawed persona of innocence. “It worked with Mr. Sinclair.”

“It may have worked with Incorporated Oil too, but next time fucking warn me!” Lex pressed a hand to his chest. “I thought I was going to have a heart attack when you started implying you’re a meteor mutant.”

“Sorry.”

Lex rubbed a hand across his forehead and sighed. Too many unknowns, unstable variables. Bringing that bacteria out of Smallville was supposed to be a calculated risk, but maybe it wasn’t calculated at all. “Just… warn me next time. We can plan the approach better. I didn’t want to say so much in front of everyone.”

Clark’s face burned bright red in an instant. His lips, lightly tinted red by artificial means rather than natural, opened, probably for another apology.

“Don’t you dare say you’re sorry again,” Lex snapped. “Just… next time tell me. We’re going to D.C. next, and meeting with legislators and special interests. We will be talking about Smallville, but you cannot go off script there.” Fixing Clark with a glare, Lex demanded, “Promise me.”

Nodding frantically, Clark said, “I promise.”

“What,” Lex snapped.

“I promise I won’t go off script. If I have an idea, I’ll run it past you in private.”

Lex sighed again, and nodded, his eyes fixed on the window. The Houston area was almost as flat as Kansas, so the view went off to the horizon. It was almost like Metropolis. Almost.

“I am sorry, Lex,” Clark whispered, touching Lex’s shoulder lightly, and Lex wanted to purr. That was the first time Clark had touched him since the party. Just maybe Lex hadn’t ruined everything with that necklace.

~o0o~

How’s Tina holding up?” Clark asked once Chloe had given him the standard Smallville updates. He was hiding in his room, ostensibly doing his homework but actually avoiding Lex. They were going to have to talk about DC at some point so Clark didn’t put his foot in it again, but not yet.

“Oh, she’s doing amazing,” Chloe said with absolute delight. “That lawyer Lex found is amazing. He has a daughter Tina’s age, brought her and his wife with him. Lillianna is totally Tina’s new best friend.”

“Lillianna?” Clark asked.

Chloe started babbling at full speed. “Mr. Brown’s daughter. She’s fifteen, and already taking college classes online, so she’s even smarter than Tina—“

“I bet it’s more like she has more support from her parents,” Clark cut in.

“Hmm, you could be right. Goodness knows the Sheffields are almost never in town and Tina has to do everything for herself. She’s really blooming since the Browns came to town. You know, she told me Mr. Brown called her parents, and they signed over temporary custody to him and his wife. Then they extended their book signing trip another month. Can you believe it?”

“Poor Tina” was all Clark could think to say. H could barely get his parents to leave him home alone for one night. But that was fine with him really. To be constantly left alone like Tina was… it was one of his worst nightmares.

“Well she’s ecstatic, and she and Lilliana are talking about colleges. Mr. and Mrs. Brown won’t let Lilliana start college on her own until she’s at least sixteen, so they’ll be starting at the same time. I think Mr. Brown is already planning to stay through the end of the school year. Sure Lilliana doesn’t need to sit in on Smallville High classes, but she’s having fun, and he doesn’t seem to want to leave Tina alone.”

“Could the case take that long?”

“Hard to say. My contacts at the sheriff’s office say they’re pushing forward quickly. Mrs. Henderson was arrested Friday based on Tina’s complaint. No one will admit it, but rumors indicate a few other kids have come forward to admit Mrs. Henderson approached them sexually. Can’t use those as complaints since the other kids are over sixteen, but it is an indication of a pattern of behavior.”

“Good.”

“But enough about Smallville, how is it where you are? You’re calling later than usual.”

Clark glanced at the nearest clock, which said seven, which was when he usually called. Oh, except—“We’re in Houston now, flew in last night. Sorry. I didn’t take that into account. I didn’t catch you at dinner did I?”

“No, you’re good.” Chloe laughed at him. “So, Houston?”

“It’s fine,” Clark said flatly. He didn’t know what else to say. He hadn’t called Chloe since before the party on Friday. Things had been so weird since then.

“What is Lex working on there?”

Clark opened his mouth to reply, but realized maybe he shouldn’t. “I… I don’t think I can say before the contracts are signed.”

Chloe sighed. “Fine. How did the party go Friday?”

“Fine.”

“Clark, if all you’re going to say is fine….”

“It was weird,” Clark finally admitted. “I’ve been to a few parties with Lex before, but I’ve always been the hick friend, and it was Metropolis. This time… I was his date more than his PA. It was weird.”

“Dress?”

“Yeah. And jewelry.” Clark shivered.

Chloe snickered.

“Hey,” Clark protested.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… I don’t see you as a girl.”

“Neither do I,” Clark growled.

“So you’ve got to admit the whole dress and jewelry thing is a little funny. I mean, big strong Clark, in a skirt?”

A tear formed in the corner of Clark’s right eye. “You sound like Pete,” he whispered.

“Oh, Clark,” Chloe gasped.

“I… I’ve gotta go.”

“No, Clark, I’m sorry. Please.”

“I’ve got work.” Clark hung up on another round of protests. Every time he thought he just might be getting used to this whole thing, something always came up. “I don’t wanna be a girl.”


	17. Washington DC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I warn that I am not completely happy with this sequence at all. The arc is right, but the specifics... well, hopefully I got the gist across. Because I'm sick of messing with it. Maybe someday I'll come back and get it right, but for now I want to move on in this one.

“Smallville produces nothing but monsters and chemicals.”

Clark bit his lip. That was the umpteenth variation on the same theme since they’d entered the office of Congressman Ashton of the Kansas tenth district. The crotchety old git was completely uninterested in Lex’s hopes for creating legal protection for meteor mutants, but more than willing to waste their time. And rant.

“Congressman, these are American citizens, some of whom are being treated like medical experiments.”

“Who cares,” Ashton said with a dramatic shrug. “These aren’t exactly good citizens.”

Clark could feel his eyes starting to burn. The anger had been building within him from the start, but he didn’t dare say anything after what happened in Houston. This… this complete asshole wasn’t going to be any help, and Clark couldn’t figure out why Lex was continuing to try.

Unless Lex was worried no one else they had meetings with were going to be any better.

“These are good solid citizens, people growing the food we eat and trying to live their lives the same as anyone else in this country.”

“Uh huh, right. Honestly, you haven’t a leg to stand on. No scientific research backs there even being a problem in Smallville. The EPA cleared the meteors years ago.” Ashton leaned forward across his desk and smirked at Lex. “Maybe you’re just covering for the chemicals coming out of your own factory.”

Clark’s cell phone vibrated, indicating an incoming text. How Lex pulled it off while looking Ashton in the face, Clark had no idea, but the text was from him.

_Feel free to blow up and stalk out. Just don’t say too much._

“The children of Smallville have a right to a safe and healthy—“

Ashton pounded a fist against his desk. “The children of Smallville are either a drain on society from a community that can’t support itself or a collection of monsters that put the rest of us at risk.” 

The crack of fracturing wood caught everyone’s attention, and Clark was embarrassed to realize it was the arm of his chair. The upright had cracked, which would at least be easy to repair, but Clark hated the implied loss of control. 

But it did make for a good opening. Clark jerked to his feet. “I’m sorry, Mr. Luthor. I can’t listen to any more of this… this….” Clark waved at Ashton. “I’ll be outside.” He stalked outside, trying to project the stiff air of disgust that Lex was so good at.

Once he closed the door, he leaned against the hall wall and did his best to listen in. 

“Well, I had hoped you might be salvageable, but I see that is not the case,” Lex said, his voice almost covering the sound of his chair shifting on the floor.

“I am a member of the US House of Representatives, Mr. Luthor,” Ashton spat, extra venomous on Lex’s surname. 

“For the moment. However, I believe one of your major supporters is William Clark, a rather powerful lawyer back in Metropolis.”

“Amongst others.” 

“Yes, like my father, I’m sure. However, I believe you’ll find your supporters inclined to seek other candidates after this. You see, Mr. Clark is quite popular in Metropolis, even with my father. And not only does his only daughter live in Smallville, you just upset his eldest grandchild. I doubt Mr. Clark will agree that his beloved grandchildren are… how did you phrase it, monsters?”

Clark triggered his x-ray vision and saw Ashton looking rather pale in his desk chair as Lex walked to the door. Clark wanted to giggle, but resisted.

~o0o~

Lex strode straight from the car to the hotel, but paused in the doorway when he realized Clark wasn’t at his side.

“Clara?” he asked, turning. Clark was standing next to the rental car, looking puzzled.

“Sorry.” Clark frowned. “Would you mind if I just… walked for a bit?”

Lex frowned, but understood. Clark hadn’t dealt with people like Ashton much. “You have your cellphone?”

Clark tapped his suit jacket pocket, heavy with the weight of the phone. “You mind taking the rest up?” He offered the case containing the laptop and the PDA Lex had provided.

“Sure. The mall is a few blocks south of here. You might enjoy the view along the green. Or visiting the Smithsonian. The museums are on the south side to the east end.” Lex took the case, and turned away. He didn’t need to watch Clark walk away. He could feel his friend move away. Hopefully a walk would help Clark clear his head.

In the meantime, Lex had some head clearing to do himself. Ashton was going to have to be replaced. And Lex had better reassess his appointments for the next week. Ashton should have been a key to getting the legal protections Lex wanted slipped through, what with his friends on the sub committees. Well, where there was one way, there were others. He would just have to find them.

~o0o~

It was dark long before Clark realized it. If his watch was right, he’d been walking for hours. He’d started at the mall, but the museums held no appeal right now and he’d kept wandering well past. And now… he had no idea where he was.

“Shit,” he muttered softly. He should call Lex. At the next corner he could get street names. Lex could send the car. 

An arm flew out of the shadows of the alley and grabbed Clark. Startled, he let himself be dragged into the dark. 

“Hello there, pretty.” The arm was attached to a man with a rather lewd expression and a large knife. “We’re going to have such fun.”

Clark stared at the man. Fun? What could he mean?

“Come’er.” The man jerked Clark, shoving him into the brick of the building fronting the alley. “Now, don’t fight, and I won’t hurt you. Much.” The knife pressed against Clark’s throat. “Undo your pants, or I’ll cut them off’a yah.”

Cut? Oh shit. He wants to…. Clark planted his hands on the man’s shoulders and shoved. Hard. The man slammed into the far wall and slid to the ground. He didn’t move.

~o0o~

Lex was starting to worry. It was coming on dinner time and Clark hadn’t called. Ashton had been just after lunch, so unless Clark had been raiding the food carts, which was entirely possible, he had to be starving.

Yet, Lex didn’t want to interrupt Clark’s contemplations by calling. Picking up his phone, Lex waffled for several minutes. Then almost dropped it when the thing started ringing.

It was Clark’s number in the window.

“Clark, I’ve been worried.”

Silence on the line. Then, “Lex… I’ve… I think he wanted to… I mean, it’s absurd.” The hesitant words were mixed with frantic breathing.

“Clark? Are you alright?” Lex was quickly beginning to panic. He grabbed the panic button and summoned his security staff.

“Umm, yes. Just… scared.”

“Is anyone hurt?” Lex wrote orders on a notepad, to bring the car, to contact the police about incidents involving Clark.

“He’s… there’s blood on the wall.” Clark sounded upset, but a little calmer.

“Has anyone called the police?” 

“No?”

“Tell me where you are,” Lex ordered firmly. “Then call the police.”

~o0o~

Lex’s heart was pounding even before he spotted the ambulance with the three police cars by the alley in a squalid back corner of DC.

He threw the door open and let his security lead the push through the police line.

“Hey, you can’t go in there,” someone protested.

“Clara,” Lex snapped. There wasn’t enough light to sort through all the figures in the narrow space. Until green eyes flashed a hint of red that had nothing to do with the light’s flashing around the alley.

“Lex,” Clark said so plaintively. “I didn’t meant to hurt him. Not really.”

Lex strode straight to his friend and pulled Clark into a hug. “Hush. I’m sure you didn’t. Did he hurt you?”

The statement was patently absurd, at least to them, but Clark just shook his head. “He had a knife to my throat… I don’t think he expected me to fight back.”

“What are you doing on my crime scene?” 

Still holding Clark tight, Lex turned to glare at the officer that had dared to confront him. But one of his guards got a word in first. Lex might have to promote the man.

“Mr. Luthor is Miss Kent’s employer and friend. If you would be so kind as to explain the situation….”

“I’ve got an hysterical woman and a man with a skull fracture,” the officer spat, as officious as he was fat.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Luthor has been known to attract unpleasant attention,” the guard, Mark Hill, said. “All those who work closely with him are given basic hand to hand training. Miss Kent may have thrown her attacker a bit hard, not knowing her own strength in a time of stress. But can you really blame her?”

The officer put his hands on his hips. “I don’t know? Can I? For all I know she attacked an innocent man.”

Clark raised his head, turning to the officer. “He wanted… he told me to take my pants off before he cut them off,” he hissed through clenched teeth. 

Lex sucked in a harsh breath. “Doesn’t sound innocent to me. If you bothered to look around a little, you might even find the knife he threatened my assistant with.” He held Clark close to his side, but started them moving out of the alley. 

“Now see here, this here young lady is coming with us to the station,” the officer snapped, stepping into their path.

He was quickly shoved away by Mark and his cohort. “You may apply at the Hay-Adams Hotel tomorrow for Miss Kent’s statement.” Mark shoved a card in the officer’s hand as Lex and Clark slipped past.

~o0o~

Lex stayed close all the way to the hotel and even in their suit, and Clark just soaked up his friend’s presence. The whole evening felt impossibly surreal. Someone had tried to… to hurt… him. Thought they could hurt him… because he wasn’t a him.

“He wanted to….” No, Clark still couldn’t say it.

“I know,” Lex said softly.

“I don’t know why I’m so… It’s not like he could have hurt me.” The words poured out, but Clark didn’t feel any better for speaking.

“No, but realizing someone wanted to… probably feels about as pleasant as the first time a meteor mutant jumped me.” Lex tried for a humorous tone, but it didn’t really ring true. Which said a lot about how shaken up he must be as well.

“Didn’t like the first time one jumped me,” Clark admitted softly, remembering as well how many head injuries Lex had suffered at his hands rather than the mutant of the week, all in the name of protecting his stupid secrets. “But that was… no, this was more like when I realized what meteor rock does.”

“It’s a constant fear. I’ve heard some women say that. Anytime, anywhere that fear can hit because it could be any man.” Lex stroked his fingers through Clark’s hair, and Clark just huddled close and savored it. 

How odd, that a night where some guy tried to get too close would be a night that Lex was more physical, closer, than he’d ever gotten before. The timing was … horrible. But Clark kinda liked the touching.

“I don’t like it.”

Lex sighed deeply, his whole body shifting with the breath. “I’m sorry, Clark. I promised to protect you on this trip, and now you’ve… I’ve failed.”

Clark shook his head, wiggling closer to Lex. “Not failed. You came when I called.” For the moment, that was more than enough.


	18. A New Angle on Politics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize. I was looking for a way to make this sequence work, and ended up introducing a bit of a West Wing crossover. Probably because I just rewatched the entire series. Hopefully it's not too much of a distraction, and maybe a bit of fun.

Clark woke up exactly where he’d fallen asleep, on the sofa in the living room of their suit, leaning against Lex. Woops.

When he cracked an eye, Clark noticed Lex was tapping away at a laptop perched on the arm of the sofa. That hadn’t been there last night. Wait, when was it? 

Giving in to being awake, no matter how oddly comfortable leaning against Lex all night had been, Clark yawned, straightened, and opened his eyes fully. The clock said it was earlier than Clark’s stomach had though, but since Clark had skipped dinner for a bit of a breakdown and passing out on Lex, that made sense.

“How are you feeling?” Lex asked, closing the laptop.

“Fine… I think,” Clark muttered, scrubbing a hand through his hair. He could feel it matted together where he’d been leaning against Lex. At least he’d taken the wig off. “You should have woken me and sent me to bed.”

Lex got an odd smile on his face, one Clark really couldn’t parse. “It was fine.”

They stared at each other until a growl from Clark’s stomach distracted them.

“Shall I order breakfast then?” Lex asked with a chuckle.

Clark could feel his cheeks heating. “Yeah, please.” He ducked his head to hide his cheeks. “I’ll grab a shower.”

~o0o~

Lex was kicking himself six ways from Sunday. He really should have sent Clark to bed, but when the younger man started falling asleep, started leaning in, Lex couldn’t let him go.

And no, that had nothing to do with the hint of a view down his blouse.

Last night could have gone so differently. So badly. If Clark weren’t Clark… Damn it, Lex had promised the Kents he’d take care of their son, and look how well he’d done. After that… well, Lex didn’t want to let Clark out of his sight. Still didn’t. Except he couldn’t come up with a good reason to follow his friend into the shower.

Yeah, that wouldn’t go over well. With Clark or the Kents.

Clark came back in wearing grey slacks and an ivory blouse just as Lex closed the door on the breakfast delivery.

“Smell’s good,” Clark muttered, still scrubbing a towel through his hair.

“Go switch to the sapphire suit,” Lex ordered. 

“Why?” Clark asked with a pout. “I can change after I eat.”

“The police will be by shortly, and your lawyer is due any minute. We want to make the right impression.” And Lex was going to stick to his guns, no matter how much Clark’s expression made him want to melt.

“It takes forever to do my makeup.” But Clark moved to his room even as he protested. “If you scheduled things this early you should have woken me sooner.”

Yeah, Lex probably should have. Heck, he was still wearing yesterday’s suit himself.

“Do your best,” he ordered, bolting for his own room. “Breakfast should be warm for a bit.”

~o0o~

For all Clark’s complaining, he was seated and well into his meal, dressed, wigged, and made-up, by the time Lex returned to the living room, clean and dressed.

“Takes forever?” he asked dryly, settling in to a seat before his own breakfast.

“I might have sped things up,” Clark muttered. “Still had to redo it twice when I messed up.” He pursed his lips like he was checking his lipstick in a mirror, and Lex shivered at the rush of lust that ran through him.

“You’ll get better with practice.” Lex was impressed with himself. He didn’t squeak and his voice didn’t break when he said that.

~o0o~

Clark didn’t know what to think about the lawyer Lex had produced overnight, but he had to admit the reaction from the two detectives upon being introduced to said lawyer was amusing. They’d looked so surprised Clark had a lawyer, and oddly impressed. So maybe it was a good thing the guy was there. Didn’t mean Clark had to like him. The guy was a little slimy.

“We do wish to apologize for the accusations you faced last night,” Detective Bradly started out with.

Lex looked more than a little stony, so Clark just stayed quiet. Last night had been miserable, and the attitude of the cops on the scene had not helped. Still, he could somewhat understand where the cop had been coming from. Clark hadn’t been the one who was hurt last night.

Detective Smith cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed. Or maybe that was pure nerves. Lex’s stony face was pretty impressive. “We identified the man who….” He didn’t seem to know how to finish that statement, and looked a little bug-eyed. Or maybe that was his natural state.

“Attacked my assistant?” Lex offered dryly. Huh, Clark wasn’t sure he’d ever heard Lex use that tone with anyone but Lionel.

“Um, allegedly,” Bradley muttered.

“It turns out he has a record,” Smith chirped before Lex could say anything in response. “Assault, racketeering—” 

“Rape?” Lex suggested.

“Well, nothing he’s ever been nailed on, but there are a few accusations,” Smith admitted.

“Actually, we tied him to a murder yesterday and were looking for him,” Bradley said. “It could be said that Miss Kent did the department a bit of a favor.”

“I see,” Lex said, eyes slitted. “I suppose now you’ll say that pressing charges would be redundant?”

“Well, the murder charge should be a slam dunk, whereas attempted rape would be a bit of a he said/she said,” Bradley said.

“And if we drop things, it’s easy enough to file Miss Kent’s actions as self-defense and just… forget about it.” Smith looked at Clark only as he offered that.

“Hmm, both advantages and disadvantages to that.” Lex turned to Clark. When Lex had chosen the chair next to the couch, Clark had immediately chosen to sit at the closest end of the couch, and might be considered to be huddling toward his friend. It probably looked a bit scared and paranoid, and right now Clark didn’t care. For all that he was the strongest person in the room, on the planet for that matter, Lex made him feel safer, and right now he was going to take all the safety he could get. “It is up to you,” Lex said, placing his hand over Clark’s on the arm of the couch. “And you don’t have to decide now.”

“It would be simpler to let it drop,” Clark said, trying to think it through. The unpleasant fear he had discovered the night before kept churning through his gut, and that made it rather had to think. 

“You’d have to come back to DC for the trial if we pushed forward.”

Clark winced. “How long could it take?”

Lex frowned. “Years,” he admitted, looking a touch concerned, though probably no one else in the room could recognize it.

“I… Let it go. Please.” Clark literally wouldn’t be able to defend his position as Clara Kent in a year or so. There was no way he was staying a woman longer than he had to, even to put that bastard away.

“Alright.” Lex patted Clark’s hand, and the churning fear seemed to fade a little. Lex turned back to the detectives. “But let me make something very clear. You better nail that bastard to the wall. If he ends up free to try this again anytime soon, we will be back.”

The detectives looked appropriately concerned. Someone must have looked up the Luthors. For a moment Clark was actually pleased Lex was related to Lionel. But only for a moment.

~o0o~

Congressman Santos’ offices weren’t much different from Congressman Ashton’s, and yet there was a very different air to them. Clark noticed it from the moment they entered. The staff were all upbeat, cheerful, event excited. And the congressman himself was all smiles. When Lex had said he’d reshuffled their meetings after the debacle with Ashton, Clark hadn’t been sure what to think, but from the moment he met the congressman from Texas, Clark had had a good feeling about this.

“I’d like to help you, I really would,” Santos said. “But you’ve got to admit the whole thing sounds a little farfetched.”

Lex chuckled and ran a hand over his scalp. “I have to admit, if I weren’t living it I’m not sure I’d believe it myself.”

“Living it?” Santos asked. “Because you live in Smallville?”

“Nope.” Lex shook his head. “I was in Smallville the day of the meteor shower.” He tapped his temple. “Lost my hair and gained a very impressive immune system. But not all those affected are so lucky on the end result.”

Clark caught the look from Lex, and knew what he wanted. They’d discussed the amount of detail they’d share if the Congressman seemed interested. “It’s ruined lives, especially amongst those effected by secondary exposure.”

“Because people don’t know how dangerous this meteor rock is?”

“Oh, some people know exactly how dangerous it is.” Lex snorted. “My fertilizer factory was almost destroyed by a man who was exposed by my father’s experiments, and earlier this year a young man was found to have suffered horribly because of a medical experiment that used meteor rock at a LuthorCorp subsidiary. Someone needs to crack down on behavior like this. But as long as the rock is considered safe, no one will.”

Santos frowned. “I admit I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Both incidents were covered by the media,” Clark offered.

“Still….” Santos shook his head. “You have to admit it all sounds rather implausible. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to sell this to anyone.”

Clark shot a look at Lex, and got a nod. “How much would you say your desk weighs?”

“Pardon?” Santos looked appropriately startled. 

“Your desk. How much do you figure it weighs? Looks like a nice one, sturdy.” Clark stood and moved in a half circle before the desk, checking the angles.

“I think it’s been in this office for a good century,” Santos said with a bit of a chuckle.

“But you agree it’s rather heavy? Probably need two or more people to lift it?” Clark asked.

“I’m sure.” Santos studied Clark. “Still, why do you ask?”

Clark considered the best leverage point another moment. No point making it obvious just how strong he was. They’d agreed to play his abilities down a good degree, lie about the number. “I’m a child of Smallville. Speed and strength beyond the norm come with a fair number of the physical mutations popping up in the teens these days.” Dropping to a crouch, Clark gripped the wood gently, no point breaking anything, and lifted with his knees.

When he had the desk at chest level on himself, Clark looked at the congressman. His jaw was hanging a little loose. “I’ve got a bit of the strength, though it’s not my forte. My little brother can lift Dad’s tractor with one hand.”

“You…” Santos stuttered.

“Maybe that’s not dramatic enough.” Clark set the desk down. “Lex?”

Lex walked over and sat on the end of the desk, moving a picture of the congressman and a lovely blonde woman out of the way first. Clark repeated the feat with the added weight of Lex atop the desk.

“I…” Santos fumbled. “I see. You can set it down now.”

“Of course.” Clark set the desk down and Lex hopped off. With a smile, Clark picked up the photo. “Lovely woman. Your wife?”

Santos nodded.

“You have kids?” Clark gestured at another photo of the couple, this time with two little children, a boy and a girl.

Santos nodded again.

“Energetic I bet. Kids that age just love to run everywhere, don’t they.” Once he was absolutely sure Santos’ attention was on him and not the desk, Clark ran to the door at about half his top speed. It was still fast enough to knock the congressman’s composure away again. “Of course, you can keep up with your kids. My parents had a heck of a time keeping me in the same field.” Clark ran back to the desk at the same speed and set the photo back in its original position.

“I can see how that might have been a problem.” Santos stared at Clark for a minute, and Clark could see the wheels turning behind those eyes. “So what’s your main mutation?”

“What?” It was Clark’s turn to be confused. 

“You said speed and strength came with most physical mutations these days.”

Clark felt his cheeks burn and he ducked his head a little. “Ah, yeah. Mostly with secondary exposure. Nah, my main thing is speed. Strength seems to be a side effect. My brother, Clark, is the other way around.”

“We’ve got a theory that there may be a mental component to the mutation,” Lex said, reclaiming his seat. “What a person wants most at the moment of exposure can be a factor in the end mutation, though it has a bit of a monkey paw effect. I always hated my red curls and asthma.”

“So you ended up bald.” Santos was looking thoughtful again. 

“I don’t remember much from before… but I think Clark and I wanted to escape the destruction. We’re pretty sure our parents were killed in the shower.” That was a complete lie, but given some of the other changes he’d seen in other kids, it made a measure of sense when Lex brought the idea up.

“Any side effects for you?” Santos asked.

Clark shrugged. “Besides looking like the poster… girl for fresh air and healthy living? It’s hard to say. But I fully believe I got lucky. Some of the others… Well, between the monkey paw effect and the high cancer rates, I’m surprised some days the population of Smallville is as big as it is.”

This time Santos nodded and stood up. “Please excuse me a moment.” He went into the front office and said something to his secretary.

Lex shot Clark a questioning look.

Clark whispered back, “He’s asking them to contact a Josh Lyman?”

~o0o~

Lex frowned, trying to remember why that name was somewhat familiar. Not a congressman or senator. Lobbyist?

Before he could figure it out, Santos was back.

“You’ve sold me on your concerns,” Santos said, reclaiming his seat behind the antique desk Clark had so dramatically moved only moments ago. Twice. “Some legislation needs to be set on this meteor rock, and some protections offered for the people of Smallville.” He tapped one of the folders on his desk. “Not to mention medical aid if these cancer rates are right. However, I believe you’re going at it from the wrong angle.”

“Wrong angle?” Lex asked, sharing an uncertain glance with Clark. This whole trip had been a bit of a gamble, but between Lionel and Helen it had become clear something had to be done to protect Smallville. And soon. “What would you suggest?”

“You want legislation.” Santos smiled a rather smug smile that somehow looked far less wicked than Lionel’s base expression. “However, there’s already legislation existent. People just need a reminder that it applies. And a shove for the EPA wouldn’t hurt either. You’ve been talking to the wrong branch of government.”

“I doubt the Supreme Court is going to be much help at present,” Lex said. He had considered legal suits, but he didn’t have the money to fight his father in court, and if he didn’t, no one in Smallville would either. Still, a different angle…?

“Ah.” That damned smile again. “But what about an Executive Order?”

The knowledge slammed Lex over the head. Josh Lyman worked in the West Wing. Of course. Lex had considered approaching the president, but rejected the idea as infeasible. He lacked the right contacts. Congressman Santos, however, was a politician and knew just who to call.

Lex might just get to like that smirk.

~o0o~

“Please tell me it isn’t true.” A man burst into the office without warning looking absolutely frantic.

Congressman Santos raised an eyebrow. “What have you heard?”

Lex was fighting back a snicker, watching the byplay. 

“You’re voting for the Republican’s latest antiabortion law.”

“Josh, I will never vote for an antiabortion law,” Santos said. Though Lex saw something in his reaction that was… intriguing. There was more to the situation that met the eye. Still, not the matter at hand. “However, since you’re here….”

Josh finally looked around and spotted Lex and Clark. He rounded on Santos’ secretary, standing in the doorway with a smug look. “You didn’t tell me he was in a meeting.”

“I owe you a bonus,” Santos said to her.

“What did you tell her?” Josh said, turning back to Santos with a manic air.

“To get you over here without knowing why, as soon as possible.” Santos leaned back in his chair, looking smug. “Now, I know you’re a busy man—“

“A busy man you just yanked away from dozens of vital projects—“

“Because you need to be here and to meet Lex Luthor.”

Josh finally looked around again. “And why do I need to meet Lex Luthor?” He looked like he recognized the name though. Good. Lex hated explaining who he was.

“Because he and his assistant have an issue that the president should look into.”

“Have you ever heard of Smallville, Mr. Lyman?”

~o0o~

Clark was starting to feel like a trick pony. He’d lifted the desk again, with Lex on top, for Mr. Lyman. He’d run across the room, three times. It was making him twitch, being so open. And yet, he also wanted nothing more than to go full speed. Slowing down felt oddly... awkward.

“Okay, you’ve got a hell of a story,” Josh said.

“More than just a story, Lex said pointedly.

“Right, right.” Josh flapped a hand his way. “I can bring this to President Bartlett, and I can see him going for it. We can probably get something from Dr. Bartlett on the medical side. But to get everything you want, we’re going to need some support in the House and Senate. Republican support, preferably.” 

“Congressman Ashton isn’t going to help,” Clark muttered, and Santos winced. He’d not been impressed with the story of yesterday’s meeting.

“He won’t be in office much longer,” Lex said, his expression rather along the lines of the cat that got the canary. “Besides, while he had connections in several relevant sub committees, he doesn’t have much leverage with the party.”

“A senator would be better,” Josh said.

“One with experience,” Santos added.

Clark flipped through his notes on the other meetings they had scheduled for the next few days. Flexible, experienced, Republican, Senator. “Would Senator Vinick qualify?”

“Actually…,” Josh said. “He pretty much hates us, but if you could sell him… he’d be perfect.”

“Good thing we’re meeting with him this afternoon then,” Lex said.

~o0o~

Lex started giving orders the moment they got into the car. “Call the pilot. I want to fly back to Metropolis tomorrow morning.”

Clark was still caught up in how well things had gone with Senator Vinick and almost missed the order. He’d played trick pony again, and there had been some sticking points, but Vinick had seemed amiable. “Umm, alright. Why?”

“Because we need to rip Ashton’s support out from under him soon, so we’d better talk to your grandfather.”

“Ah.” Clark winced. “Umm... how much will we need to tell him?” 

Lex frowned, then looked apologetic. “Does he know anything?”

Clark shook his head. “My parents kept him out of things. Well, and he still seems to hate Dad.”

“Would you… would you feel comfortable giving him the same story we’ve been telling here?”

Clark wanted to run his fingers through his hair, but refrained. It would just mess up the wig. And it wouldn’t really help with the tension churning in his gut. “He only has one grandchild. He knows that.”

“The necklace is no secret in Smallville.” 

Lex might have said more, but they pulled up to the hotel then. They stayed silent on the short journey up to the suite.

“I’m sorry, I’ve put you in more of a bind with this than I intended,” Lex offered once the door was securely shut. “Your father’s going to shoot me.”

Snickering, Clark shook his head. He’d be imagining his father’s reaction all day. “Oh, they’ll be tetchy, but in some ways I think this is good cover. And… we need a story for why I’m still…” He waved a hand generally toward himself. “You know.” Damn it, he was going to have to learn how to say it.

“A girl?” Lex asked dryly.

“Yeah.” Clark huffed out a sigh and collapsed into the couch. Simple words that wouldn’t come. How come he could put on make-up and wear dresses, but couldn’t say he was… like that? “Gonna have to explain it at school.” 

“You don’t have to go back to Smallville High,” Lex said, settling onto the other end of the couch. “If you’re not comfortable… I’d be happy to help you settle somewhere else until you can turn back.”

Clark shook his head. He wasn’t ready to leave Smallville. Someday, sure. He didn’t want to live there his whole life. But he wasn’t ready to leave yet. “Half the town will probably forget I was ever a boy before I turn back.” Which was a terrifying thought in and of itself.

Lex chuckled. “They are fairly adept at ignoring the insanity that surrounds them.”

“Survival,” Clark offered with a shrug. He’d been watching it his whole life, and taking advantage of it. “So, you have a story?”

“Yeah, I have a story. We can explain the femininity to William Clark.”

“Guess I’d better call the pilot then. When do you want to be back in Washington?”


	19. Problems Closer to Home

Martha was startled out of her dinner preparations by a knock to the front door. Most anyone who’d be coming round would come to the kitchen door. Except maybe Lionel. Which would just be a very bad thing. Jonathan would flip.

So it was something of a relief when she opened the door and found Clark’s principal on the porch. At least, it was until she started wondering just why the high school principal might be coming around after her son had missed several weeks of school.

“Principal Reynolds?” Martha quickly recovered her aplomb. “Please, come in. How can I help you?”

“Mrs. Kent. I’m sorry for intruding.” He had a stiffness that reminder Martha of the Luthors and her father. Reynolds was used to dealing with the rich and famous, so he stood out like a sore thumb in farm country.

“It’s no problem, but if this is going to be a longer conversation, I should keep working on dinner while we talk.”

“Of course. Don’t let me get in the way. I’ve come because I’m concerned about your son, Clark.”

Martha fumbled the knife she picked up. “I assure you you’re not the only one,” she said softly.

“Your son has a lot of potential. But he’s missed school the last few weeks. If this continues, he may have to repeat the year.” Reynolds looked apologetic as he leaned against the counter, but Martha sensed an odd hint of spite.

Martha kept chopping. Clark wouldn’t have lied to her about keeping up with school. And if he had… well, he’d be in for a world of trouble that Jor-El had nothing to do with. “Clark has assured me he’s been keeping up with his assignments. Chloe Sullivan has been bringing things by since Clark got sick and running his completed assignments back.” 

Reynolds’ reaction made it clear that he knew the assignments were coming in. Good.

“His assignments have been acceptable. However, that does not excuse his continued failure to attend classes.”

“No, that’s where his being ill comes in,” Martha said lightly. Or tried to. “Clark will be back at school when he’s recovered.”

“From what?”

It was a relief when they were interrupted by boots on the back porch, followed by Jonathan coming in the kitchen door.

“Principal Reynolds?”

“The principal is concerned about Clark’s attendance,” Martha said calmly.

“Well, it has been a few weeks,” Jonathan said. “I suppose that’s understandable. But Clark will be back when he’s ready. And he’s been keeping up.” He looked at Martha. “Hasn’t he?”

“Homework assignments, unfortunately, cannot make up for missing exams,” Principal Reynolds said, “and self study cannot always keep up with class schedules.”

“I doubt that’s a problem for Clark,” Jonathan said, stepping up and pressing a kiss to Martha’s cheek. He’d been quite demonstrative in his affection since her breakdown, and she only hoped it would last after Clark returned. “He’s very bright. We’ve recently begun to wonder if school is actually slowing him down.”

Martha smiled at him.

“Perhaps I should speak with Clark.” Principal Reynolds looked toward the stairs.

“He’s not here,” Jonathan said flatly.

“Pardon?” Principal Reynolds looked confused. “If he’s so ill as to be missing school—”

“Clark will return to school when he is ready,” Jonathan said.

“Ready. You said that before. Just what illness includes returning to school when he is ready? If this is an issue with drugs, you had better level with me. You do your son no favors lying to the school administration.”

Martha giggled, which started Jonathan chuckling. Which drove Martha to full-fledged laughter. In a moment, they were leaning against each other laughing hysterically. Whenever Martha looked at Reynolds and spotted the increasing concern on his face, it just made her laugh harder.

When they finally managed to trickle down to soft hiccups, Principal Reynolds was looking stone faced and stiff necked. “I cannot say that this… display has comforted me as to the condition of my student. I begin to wonder if I should call social services.”

Jonathan rounded on the man, no sign of laughter in his expression. “You have no idea what you’re intruding on. Damn it, man, do you even pay attention to what’s happening at your school? You are going to tell us what information you need to permit Clark to return to classes when he’s ready, and then you are going to get off my property.”

~o0o~

Clark was finishing his homework for the week when his cell phone rang. The caller id said it was his parents, which made sense given the time. Given he hadn’t been in touch the night before, he was surprised it had taken them this long to call.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Clark, sweetie, is Lex there?”

Clark glanced over at Lex, huddled over his laptop. “Yeah, he’s right here.”

Lex looked up with a questioning brow.

“Put us on speaker? We need to speak to both of you.”

“Sure, Mom.” Clark waved Lex over as he switched his cell phone to speaker mode. “You’re on speaker.”

“Lex, we had a visit from Principal Reynolds.”

“I see,” Lex said. “Worried about all the missed classes I assume.”

“Exactly,” Mom said. “He tried to… well, he threatened to call social services when he found out Clark wasn’t here, and… well, he made a guess about it being a drug issue. I’m afraid Jonathan and I reacted a bit… hysterically.”

“Given the last time I had a ‘problem with drugs’,” Clark said, “I don’t blame you.”

“Clark, dear, you don’t have a problem with drugs and never have. A problem with rocks, however….” Mom giggled. 

“I’ll see what I can do to get him off your back, Martha,” Lex said. “We’ll be swinging into Metropolis tomorrow.” Lex shot a look at Clark, and Clark could tell he was being asked if mentioning Grandfather Clark was a good idea. Clark shook his head. “We can swing by Smallville in the evening if it would help.”

“It would be lovely to see Clark,” Mom said, “but I doubt his presence or absence will change things much. However, if you could produce some kind of doctors note…?”

“Did Reynolds ask for one?” Lex asked.

“Eventually,” Mom said. “I’m afraid Jonathan came very close to threatening him with the shotgun."

“Ouch,” Clark muttered.

“Reynolds is stubborn, but usually a reasonable man. Clark and I can swing by for dinner tomorrow, and I’ll bring you some notes from one of my staff at Cadmus to properly excuse Clark from school.” Lex patted Clark on the hand. “I should have considered that before now. My apologize.”

“Nonsense, Lex,” Mom said. “You’ve been a rock through this. But none of us have managed to consider everything. Any notes will be well appreciated.”

Clark talked a bit more with his mother, not admitting to how complex things had gotten in DC, or what had happened last night, before hanging up.

“Is Reynolds going to be a problem?” Clark asked once he hung up.

“Perhaps,” Lex said thoughtfully. “But if he is, you have other options.”

“In Smallville?” Clark said, unable to hide his disbelief.

“Well, moving you somewhere else would be easier,” Lex admitted. “However… if Smallville High is a problem, we can find another in the area. You’re on good terms with the Kawatche, aren’t you?”

Clark huffed. “They think I’m the superman from the stars they’ve been waiting for.”

Lex hummed. “That does explain a few things. However, if we play on that… we might be able to get you into their school.”

“I’m not Kawatche.”

“Ah, but would they agree? Their legends say the Kawatche became a separate group when a man from the stars fell in love with the mother of their tribe. If you’re a man from the stars, and they’re descended from a man from the stars….” Lex looked pointedly at Clark, and he had to admit the point.

“Basically, if their legend is right, then we are related.”

“Therefore you should have every right to attend the tribe’s school. I’ll get in touch with Joseph Willowbark as a backup.”

Clark rubbed the back of his neck. “Good thought… but let me make the call.”

Lex raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

~o0o~

“Mister Luthor, a pleasure to finally meet you.” William Clark met them with a broad smile and an extended hand as they entered his home office. Clark had never been inside his grandfather’s home. After spending so much time around Lex, he’d rather expected the place to be a bit more over decorated. Jonathan Kent’s opinion aside, it seemed the Clarks were much more subtle than the Luthors. Or a lot less rich.

“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice, Mister Clark,” Lex replied with a firm handshake. “Have you heard from Congressman Ashton in the last few days?”

Clark closed the door to the office and scanned the space. No sign of listening devices, at least one he recognized.

“I can’t say that I have,” William said, leading them to seats by a stone fireplace in one wall. “Though I expect to hear from him shortly about campaign contributions.” He chuckled.

“I’d like to talk to you about not supporting him,” Lex said, not smiling. “I have found he does not have the best interests of his constituents in mind.”

William leaned back in his chair with a frown. “Please explain.”

While Lex explained about their meeting with Ashton, Clark stepped into the private bathroom attached to the office. They’d talked about this. Lex hadn’t even introduced him yet, and that didn’t seem to bother William. But Lex would introduce him, so Clark had to prepare.

“But I only have one grandchild,” William finally protested. “I’m not sure what you are plotting here, Luthor—”

“Only my best efforts to protect your grandson, along with half the population of Smallville. As well as myself, admittedly,” Lex said as Clark stepped back into the office, sans makeup and his wig.

“By lying about my relation to your assistant?” William snapped.

“Not exactly,” Lex said.

Clark finally stepped in. “He did insult your eldest grandchild, Grandfather. Just… also your only grandchild.”

William stood and looked Clark over, lingering on his face and frowning over his clothes. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No.” Clark shook his head. “It’s complicated, but Congressman Ashton really was quite rude.”

“And that explains why my grandson is apparently running around DC in drag?”

“I don’t think it quite counts as drag at the moment,” Clark muttered rubbing a hand along his pant leg rather than cupping what wasn’t there anymore.

“Mister Clark, please,” Lex said, “this is Clark Kent, and he has been assisting me the last few weeks, but the reason he’s not at school is because he’s adjusting to a rather unusual change. The meteors aren’t the only thing in Smallville that can cause changes in humans.”

William slumped back into his chair. “Explain.”

Clark quickly explained about the necklace, how the other kids had been using it as a sex toy. Lex admitted to his own experience and mentioned the tests his scientists had been doing.

“So you’re Clark… but you’re currently female?”

“My best scientists have been tracking the levels in his bloodstream of the compound they believe is related to the change,” Lex said. “He isn’t passing it very quickly. We’ve identified a something that seems to indicate meteor exposure, and everyone who’s had a longer than normal change has signs of this indicator to some degree. Clark however… well, his indicator levels are through the roof. We believe that is inhibiting excretion of the change compound. Current estimates indicate he’ll drop below the level to maintain the change in about a year.”

“Lex and Mom have been great about helping me... adjust. Dad’s kind of freaked, and so are a lot of my friends. But I’m getting more comfortable with… everything.”

“We’re hoping to get Clark back to school soon,” Lex said.

“I’ve been keeping up with all my classes,” Clark chirped, wincing at his overeager tone.

“But that does not change the fact that there are people who want to experiment on people like Clark, like myself, like his classmates. And leaders like Congressman Ashton will be more than happy to hand us all over.” 

William looked at Lex, then over at Clark. “He called you a monster?”

“He said….” Clark paused and drew up the memory precisely. He continued in Ashton’s accent and tone. “The children of Smallville are either a drain on society from a community that can’t support itself or a collection of monsters that put the rest of us at risk.” 

William sucked in a pained breath. “That’s verbatim, isn’t it?”

“Clark has an eidetic memory,” Lex said.

“Usefully in meetings,” William said, raising an eyebrow.

“And boring classes,” Clark said.

“Hmm, sounds like we need to find a new congressman for the Kansas Tenth.” William settled back in his chair, looking more relaxed than he had since Clark stepped into view. “I suppose you have a suggestion?”

~o0o~

Lex pulled up the Kent driveway and felt an odd weight lift from his shoulders. He couldn’t actually identify what worry had just flitted away, just that it was gone. For now.

Looking over, Lex saw Clark looked more tense, not less.

“You okay?” Lex asked softly.

Clark touched his cheek, covered in the makeup he’d replaced before they left William Clark’s home.

“He’ll deal,” Lex said, gripping Clark’s wrist lightly. “We can leave right after dropping off the notes. Don’t have to stay for dinner.”

Clark sighed, shook of Lex’s hand, and got out of the car without answering.

“Clark” came Martha’s delighted call from the porch. She flew across the ground and wrapped her arms around her son.

Getting out of the car, Lex caught Jonathan’s frown as he took in his son, dressed in a woman’s suit. When Jonathan looked over, Lex caught his eye and glared. Surprisingly, Jonathan just nodded and went to join the hug.

Lex got his own hug before they were herded inside by Martha. The table was already covered with more food than Lex knew what to do with.

Conversation stayed light through dinner, discussing museums and the quick tour they’d taken of the Johnson Space Center while in Houston. Jonathan even managed polite interest throughout. Only after dessert had been set on the table did Lex pull out the file he’d collected at Cadmus that afternoon.

“This one expresses that Clark has a medical condition that should clear up within the next year,” Lex said. “It can be placed in his school file. This one excuses Clark from school for as long as necessary for him to adjust to the aforementioned medical condition. And this—” He held up the rest of the file, “—explains why Clark is stuck as a girl, in very technical terms that most PhD biochemists wouldn’t understand. You can use this part on Reynolds if he’s stubborn about letting Clark back into school.”

“Thank you, Lex,” Jonathan said, and Martha nodded.


	20. The White House

Going home to Smallville after two weeks traveling with Lex had felt really weird. Maybe it had been the suit, and makeup, and wig, but Clark didn’t think so. It was more… him. He was changing. In a good way? It was so hard to tell, to even guess.

“Lex?” Though Lex was only a three feet away, Clark felt like he had to shout to be heard. As Lex looked up from his laptop, working away despite the late hour and the fact that it was Saturday, Clark scanned the area to make sure no one else was in their part of the plane.

“Yes?”

“I… I have a bit of an odd request.” Clark bit his lip, unsure how to say this, or even if he should.

“Anything I can do. You know that, Clark.”

Damn, that weird twist in his stomach when Lex used his real name. It had been getting more pronounced the last few days. Clark didn’t know what to make of it. No, that wasn’t quite true. But whatever he did know, he was in no way ready to admit to, even to himself.

“I … um… after Thursday I’ve been….”

Lex leaned over and placed a hand over Clark’s, which was again gripping the arm of his seat with a bit more force than was good. “When you’re ready.”

“Sex,” Clark blurted, shivering at the word. “I’ve been thinking… I wanna know. On my terms.”

When Lex swallowed, it was audible over the roar of the engines. Or maybe Clark’s ears were getting sharper, and focused on Lex. “And you have someone in mind?”

Clark had to think on that. It felt like Lex was hinting at something, but what? In the end, he just shook his head. “No, not really. I was hoping you might have a suggestion…. I mean, you went off to New York….” He trailed off, feeling like a complete jerk.

“Ah.”

Jittering, Clark started babbling. “I mean, it’s weird. Part of me figured I’d be a virgin until Lana and I… but let’s be honest, she probably… with Whitney. And even if not, I got high on Red K and Jesse and I… well, it was an experience. I don’t know if it was great, except it did feel good because, hey, sex. It’s just… now… I feel like I need to understand or I’m never going to get my head around all….” He gestured at himself, his breasts, and that still felt surreal to think. He had breasts. “…this.”

“I think… I think I understand.” Lex’s fingers tightened against Clark’s hand. It might have hurt if Clark wasn’t… Clark. “Let me think about it. DC’s too risky, not with us sticking our heads out all over Capitol Hill. Metropolis would be easy, but the risk of being recognized someday…. No, I think LA’s our best option. Assuming you want to do this before returning to Smallville.”

“Please,” Clark whispered. He could see the wheels turning behind Lex’s eyes and couldn’t help but wonder what all he was thinking.

~o0o~

Lex bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood when his staff announced someone from the Secret Service was outside Sunday afternoon. He managed to refrain from cussing and calling himself twelve kinds of names, but it was a very near thing.

Apparently, however, that wasn’t enough to keep Clark from giving him weird looks. And given how off balance Lex had been feeling since the conversation last night, weird looks were not doing good things for his libido. 

Not that anything to do with Clark had ever been easy on his libido.

Damn it. Lex reigned himself in and stood with a smile as a tall, lanky man was escorted into the suite living room. “Agent…?”

“Butterfield, Mr. Luthor,” the man replied. “I’m head of President Bartlett’s security team.”

“How can we help you, Agent Butterfield?” Lex gestured toward a chair, but the man didn’t seem to have any interest in sitting until Lex had done so.

“I’ve been tasked with your security checks before permitting you into the White House Monday. I’m afraid we’ve found some irregularities.”

Clark squeaked, a concerning tone of high pitched panic. Lex was going to have to help him with his poker face.

“I assure you I’ve put behind me the behaviors that got so much attention in my teen years,” Lex drawled, hoping his apparent calmness would help calm Clark.

Agent Butterfield allowed a small smile under his mustache before he returned to his usual stoic façade. “No, we passed you fairly quickly. I’m afraid the issues are with your assistant, Miss Kent.”

The way he said ‘miss’ made it quite clear he had some pretty heavy questions, and was wondering about Clark’s gender.

“Lex?” Clark asked very quietly.

“Hang on,” Lex replied, trying to sound reassuring. “Perhaps if you were more specific, I could help clarify.”

“The Kents of Smallville have only one child, a son. And while the paperwork for Clara Kent is excellent, it is forged.”

Lex took a deep breath, the nodded. “You’re correct.”

“Why are forging identification papers for you PA?”

Considering, Lex turned to Clark. “How much do you want to tell him?”

Clark looked more than a little uncomfortable, but he needed to learn to think these things threw. Hell, Lex did too or he would have thought again before bringing Clark to DC on forged paperwork.

“How much… trouble… are we gonna be in?” Clark asked softly, squirming in his seat like the teenager he was.

“I don’t know,” Lex replied honestly.

“I….” Clark squirmed for another minute, looking at Agent Butterfield, then at the door. Or perhaps through the door. “Tell him the truth, like we told Grandfather…” He shrugged. “Who’s gonna believe it anyway?”

Lex nodded and turned back to the agent, who was waiting with quiet aplomb. “Did you or any of your agents visit Smallville while checking our background?”

“Not yet, though I have an agent on the ground this afternoon.”

“That’ll make this a little less believable.” Lex sighed. “Very well. You’re right. The Kents have exactly one child, and this is him.” He waved at Clark, noticing that Clark had pulled off his wig and was running his fingers through his shaggy curls. 

“And you thought it a good idea to have a sixteen year old in drag pretend to be your PA.” Butterfield actually looked a little puzzled. And disdainful.

“It’s not drag,” Clark snapped. “I wish it was.”

“Tell your agent to ask the kids around Clark’s age about The Pink,” Lex said. “Or check in with Chloe Sullivan. She can give you chapter and verse.”

“They were using it as a sex toy,” Clark said. “Put it on, turn into a girl for a couple hours, or guy if—you know, switches your gender. Then you can fool around for shits and giggles. All with no apparent consequences.”

“The Pink?” Butterfield asked. But he was clearly taking mental notes.

“A necklace,” Lex said, “covered in big pink crystals. My scientists can’t make heads or tails of it. Either someone on Earth has jumped light years ahead of the rest of science, and lost their toy in Smallville, or it’s alien.”

“Alien?” Butterfield’s disbelief was dry and pointed.

Lex shrugged. “It makes as much sense as anything else. Since it does exist, there must be some explanation. It interacts badly with exposure to the meteor shower of ’89. The unexposed get changed for an hour or two. The greater the exposure, the longer it lasts. I spend two hundred and eighty-four hours as a woman.”

Agent Butterfield studied Lex carefully. “You, Mr. Luthor?”

“It was an accident, but it did give me an interesting opportunity to look into the female psyche.” Lex smiled and let the agent take that however he wanted.

“And Mr. Kent… how long has he been… like this?” Agent Butterfield turned his attention to Clark, studying him carefully and probably looking for any excuse to dig holes in their story.

“Weeks,” Clark growled.

“I have a team working at Cadmus Labs to understand the change based on blood samples from a number of the effected—”

Butterfield cut Lex off. “You have blood samples? With the parent’s permission?”

Lex sighed. He probably should have, but…. “To be honest, no one wanted their parents involved. I replaced all names with identifier codes right off, then destroyed the list of names. I was the only person who saw the list, and unless you spend time digging through Smallville and making friends with a lot of insular people, no one will know exactly who is on it.”

“Hmm.” Butterfield looked both impressed and disappointed. Lex decided he didn’t care. “And what have your scientists learned?”

“That using The Pink introduces a unique chemical into the system that we have yet to break down and understand. However, over time the body excretes the chemical. When the level drops below a certain level, the change reverses. For those with meteor exposure, the excretion rate is decreased. In Clark’s case… we’re thinking there’s another factor we haven’t identified yet, because he’s excreting at such a slow rate—”

“I’m stuck for a year. Maybe more,” Clark spat. “Lex has been helping me adjust… I had to get out of Smallville for a bit, before I went mad.”

“I see.” Butterfield looked less than convinced. “You spin a good story, but it’s rather farfetched.”

Lex nodded. “As well we know. However, this is Clark Kent. I provided him with some false paperwork for one simple reason.”

“I don’t particularly want to end up on the front page of the tabloids,” Clark said. He waved a hand in the air as if reading the title. “Kansas Schoolboy Given Magical Sex Change.”

“Well, and a few more years of age make you sound a little more legitimate in business circles,” Lex added with a smile at his friend. He turned back to Agent Butterfield. “Not that he isn’t perfectly capable of following everything we’ve been doing. Clark has proven to be something of a genius.”

Butterfield looked skeptical. “His grades do not reflect that.”

Clark shrugged. “I’m a small town farm boy who can bench press my father’s tractor. Mom and Dad didn’t want me to stand out, and I took that to mean in school to.”

“Not to mention Smallville doesn’t exactly have a curriculum designed for the highly intelligent.”

“So…?” Clark looked earnestly at Agent Butterfield.

“I’ll report your story to the president, and see what my agent comes up with.” Butterfield looked thoughtful, if still a bit disbelieving. “You’ll hear about your clearances before the meeting tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Agent Butterfield.” Lex stood and shook the man’s hand. 

Agent Butterfield then stepped around Lex and offered Clark his hand. “I should warn you, Clark Kent’s adoption is less than legal.”

Lex winced and saw Clark do the same. “Fucking Lionel.”

“I think my biological parents died in the meteor show,” Clark said, surprisingly calm. “The Kents found me… and Lionel Luthor helped them get custody of me after they helped get Lex to the hosptial. And then he used it to hide the illegal adoption of his bastard son. Or so we learned last fall when his mother came after me, thinking I was Lucas.” He managed to smile charmingly while saying it. “I don’t want to leave the Kents. They’ve been amazing parents.”

Butterfield nodded. “Just thought you should know.”

“We do,” Lex said, stepping to Clark’s side.

And Butterfield finally left.

Clark shivered, but kept it together. Lex was impressed. The boy was really improving of late. “I’d better call Chloe and let her know to go ahead and slip about The Pink to the Secret Service agent in town.”

“We’re going to have to tell your parents something at some point.” Lex was not looking forward to that conversation.

“Yeah… I’m really, really trying not to think about that right now.”

~o0o~

Clark was trying very hard not to hyperventilate as they walked up to the White House. They hadn’t heard anything from Agent Butterfield, though Chloe had called the night before to describe the man who’d been poking around Smallville all weekend.

But the security checkpoints kept letting them past without an odd look. At least until they reached the outer office of the president’s chief of staff. Agent Butterfield was waiting there and pulled Clark and Lex aside.

“Mr. Kent,” Butterfield said softly, “we’ve passed you, though there are some who definitely would not approve. I’ve linked your files, and put the details under presidential seal on President Bartlett’s orders. If you come back to the White House for any reason, the president and his chief of security will know who and what you are.”

Clark’s stomach threatened violent convulsions, but he managed to smile and express his thanks. For all that that sounded threatening, they didn’t actually know what he was, just that he was strong and fast.

“But do know, the Secret Service agents on duty today know to keep an eye on you. If they see anything they don’t like, they will act.” 

“Agent Butterfield, I don’t like the sound of that,” Lex said, frowning.

“Your friend is capable of bench pressing a tractor and moving faster than an Olympic athlete.” Agent Butterfield raised an eyebrow, an impressive look given how bushy that eyebrow was. “Should I not warn my people to be wary?”

“Clark would never hurt anyone,” Lex snapped.

“Actually, I would,” Clark said, garnering a startled look from Lex and a worried look from the agent. “But only in defense of others. I’ve got a bit of a saving people thing.” He smiled, trying to express sweet farm boy as best he could. “The president has nothing to fear from me. Someone trying to kill him would be a different story.”

It was hard to tell, but Agent Butterfield looked slight impressed, or at least pleased. “Hold true to that.”

~o0o~

Three days later, their various meetings with staff and policy advisers finally led to a meeting in the holy of holies, the Oval Office.

“My parents are never going to believe this,” Clark hissed to Lex while they were waiting in the outer office. He was shaking, which was dangerous for someone like him. He kept trying to shift into super speed, and if he did that he’d shake the damned building down. Which would not go over well with the secret service agents eyeing him closely.

“It’s certainly up there on my list of life goals,” Lex said with a chuckle.

Clark snorted softly. “I thought your goal was to be president, not work with the president.”

“True.” Lex smirked. “I’m only twenty-two. There’s still time to get back here.”

“He’s ready for you.” Mrs. Fiderer, the president’s secretary, announced, interrupting their banter.

Clark, in a state of shock and awe, stepped into the Oval Office, a step behind Lex, to be greeted by a smallish, jolly looking man. It didn’t completely register who he had to be until Lex greeted him with “Mr. President.”

“Come in, sit down. We have much to discuss,” President Bartlett said.

Lex claimed a seat on one of the couches, closest to the desk that sat in the curve of the windows. Clark considered standing, but Lex made it clear he should take the other end of the couch. With the president in a chair kitty corner to Lex, Clark felt like he was under a microscope. He did his best to keep up with the discussion, but it mostly consisted of going over the plans that had been laid out in the past three days of meetings—plans for a presidential proclamation to declare the damage done to Smallville by the meteors and subtly state that all those effected were under legal protection from experimentation—plans for a presidential edict that would kick the EPA into acting against the meteors and declare them a dangerous contaminant that must be treated with the same care one used for nuclear waste.

Watching Lex at a time like this was amazing. Lex in Smallville was sometimes disorienting, though watching him unwind over pool and be a young man was a gift Clark was only beginning to identify. Lex in a position of power was stunning. He looked like he belonged there, in the Oval Office, as much or more than anyone else present.

Clark had a feeling that watching Lex be all powerful was kind of turning him on. Which made him a bit grateful he wasn’t a guy at the moment. A boner in the Oval Office would be something he’d never recover from.

Lost in his own thoughts and concerns as he was, Clark almost didn’t notice when the president excused everyone except himself and Lex. They all left with soft mutters of “Thank you, Mr. President.” It reminded Clark of a power play he could so see Lionel liking.

Once they were alone, the laser attention of the president was focused on Clark. “Miss Kent, I hear you’ve had a bit of a difficult life.”

“It has had its moments,” Clark said, thinking especially of the moment when Lex’s Porsche had thrown him through a bride railing. “But on the whole I think it has been a quite reasonable and pleasant life.”

“An excellent counter,” President Bartlett said. “So you like Smallville.”

“As with everything, it has its issues.” Clark smiled a bit crookedly. “But yes, I’ve quite enjoyed Smallville for the most part. And I’ve been blessed with truly wonderful parents.”

“A blessing I wish we could offer all orphaned children. Still, I’ve heard some amazing stories about your abilities. I don’t wish to ask you to play sideshow exhibit, but I would be honored if you would provide some proof of your abilities.”

Clark smiled with a bit of a chuckle as he stood and walked behind the couch. “Lex, if you ever progress to fast enough healing, you get to play display example from there on.”

Lex chuckled. “Deal.”

Crouching, Clark tucked his hands under the couch, lifting slightly to test the balance points. “I’d appreciate the Secret Service not shooting me when I do this.” And he lifted, carefully balancing until Lex and the sofa were five feet off the ground.

“Very impressive,” President Bartlett said, standing and moving closer. “You’re not struggling in the slightest.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard my claim to be able to bench press a tractor,” Clark said as he lowered the couch back to the floor with only a slight bump.

“I thought that was your brother,” President Bartlett said pointedly.

“Mr. President, I have no desire to lie. In Smallville I live openly as who I am and how I am. And I know you know this.”

Lex placed his hand atop Clark’s on the back of the sofa. “Our duplicity has only been intended to allow Clark time to adjust to his change in circumstances.”

“I didn’t take it well at first.” 

“You were catatonic for four days,” Lex said darkly, his fingers tightening for a moment. 

“I can only imagine the shock,” President Bartlett said with a fair degree of sympathy. “How did you get exposed to this… toy? My agents weren’t able to find out.”

“One of my classmates thought it would help me unwind,” Clark said, letting out a snicker. It was starting to be funny. “Just threw it around my neck after school. He had no idea….”

“And you, Mr. Luthor? I’ve heard you had some experience with this… trinket.”

“An accident, and one of the reasons I lean towards the alien device explanation,” Lex said. Clark threw it to me, and it seemed to dodge my hand so it could fall over my neck. A moment later, I had two X chromosomes.”

“Fascinating. As a scientist, it must have been an amazing experience.”

“To be honest, Mr. President,” Lex said with a slight smirk, “it was an amazing experience for any man.”

“If a little rough on the psyche of those around us,” Clark added.

“True,” Lex said. “If I dared discuss the matter, I’d be able to write quite a psychology paper on gender identity and the individual’s understanding of self.” 

“Several papers, probably,” Clark said under his breath.

“I must ask, what happened to this device?” President Bartlett leaned forward as he asked this.

“Destroyed,” Lex said flatly. “As much as the scientist in me would love to tear such a thing apart to understand it, after what happened to Clark—“

“We can’t figure out why me, why I got stuck like this,” Clark continued. “It’s too dangerous to leave lying around. If it had popped up anywhere other than Smallville, the fallout could have been massive. We’re just used to the weird and wacky.”

President Bartlett nodded thoughtfully. “Probably for the best. Well, it was a pleasure to meet you both. I hope you’ll be here for the signing and media presentation this evening.”

“Of course, Mr. President,” Lex said, standing. “Thank you for sparing us so much of your time.”

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Clark added, recognizing the implied goodbye. 

They turned together and moved to the door. Clark opened it for Lex, letting his friend exit first. As he was about to follow, the president called out again.

“And, Miss Kent, should you ever need a recommendation, do keep me in mind.”

Clark turned, trying to hide some of his shock. “Sir… thank you.”

“Don’t be so surprised. I’m half tempted to try and steal you from Mr. Luthor.”

“You’re too kind, Mr. President. But my parents would never forgive me for moving so far away.” Clark could see the calculation in the president’s eyes. Someone of his strength and speed could be an asset to the country. And someday he intended to be. But not tied to the president. Or Lex for that matter.

“Oh well, can’t fault a man for asking. I’ll see you both this evening.”

~o0o~

Martha was smiling as she walked the halls of Luthor Manor. Clark had just called and let her know to watch the news this evening. Her baby boy had visited the White House today.

Experience and soft shoes brought her silently to Lex’s office. The door was open, unusual since Lex was out of town and Lionel didn’t, usually, work from there. But when she peered inside, Lionel was leaning against Lex’s desk, and it looked like he was… No, it couldn’t be.

Martha looked closer, moving further into the room on silent feet so Lionel didn’t notice her. He was looking at something, visibly studying something in his hands. A paperweight? Lionel had just blown his cover as a blind man for a paperweight?

“I should have realized,” Martha said, clutching a hand to her chest. She should have. Lionel had been leaving her behind more and more, taking on bigger and more distant trips without her.

Lionel kept up the pretense, tilting his head like he was listening for her rather than looking at her. But his glasses were off now, and she could see his eyes tracking her from the corners. “Martha, is that you?”

“Don’t even,” she spat. “How long have you been able to see?”

She could see him considering lies. She’d learned that twist of his lips in the months of working for him. Equally she could see the moment he decided on some degree of truth. “Awhile.” He smiled, that little flirting look he’d been using more and more.

“I see.” She turned and walked out. Out of the office. Out of the manor. Out of LuthorCorp. Jonathan was going to be delight, though their budget would suffer something awful.

~o0o~

“Martha? What are you doing home so early?”

She had to laugh at her husband, at herself, at this whole situation. “I quit.” The words didn’t even sound real to her.

“Oh…” He stepped up behind her as she sat at the table, wrapped his arms around her and tucked his face in her hair. “I’m glad to have you home.”

“He can see,” she whispered. “God, if he’s seen Clark….”

Jonathan gulped, but held her tight. “We’ll figure something out.” He paused, twitched, then said, “Lex will help.”

Martha laughed. That was a statement she never expected to hear from Jonathan. “Yes, he will. I should call him. God, I was talking to Clark just before…. He met the president today.”

“The president of what?”

“The United States, Jonathan. He’s been in DC since last week. They’re making some kind of announcement this evening.”

“That’s… that’s pretty amazing.” He turned her chair and crouched down to her level. “We are some very lucky parents, Mrs. Kent.”

“Yes.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Yes, Mr. Kent. We really are.”

“Go, call Lex. He should be warned about his father.”

“Right.” Her hand went for her cell phone, but she’d turned that in when she quit. Just as well. Lionel might well have been tapping it somehow. She’d hoped, so hoped she might be able to help him, change him, and now she didn’t put anything past him.

Lex picked up on the first ring.

“Lex, I’ve left LuthorCorp.”

“Martha, are you alright?”

Somehow he saw right into the heart of the matter. Why not? He knew his father. “I caught your father studying a paperweight on your desk. He has his vision again, has for awhile. I’m sorry. I should have realized sooner.”

“Nonsense,” Lex said firmly. “My father is quite adept at deception. It’s probably a miracle you caught him at all. I’ve suspected for a bit, and I’ve never caught him out.”

“I don’t think he expected a pregnant woman to walk so softly.” She chuckled.

“No, I doubt he would. Mother was quite heavy footed when she was pregnant with Julian.” There was a hint of pain in that statement, as there usually was when Lex mentioned his mother or his brothers. “Martha, watch your backs. He’s not going to let you go easily.”

Martha sighed, watching Jonathan move around the kitchen and almost wishing he’d step out so she could be a little blunter. “I know. I’ve been aware for a bit….”

“I noticed the flirting,” Lex said, and a faint gasp in the background told her Clark was listening in.

“I never….”

“I know. He was a fool to ever try. But he’s going to come after you. If he shows up, call Sheriff Ethan. If it takes the sheriff to remove him, we can look at a restraining order. If you can knock him far enough off balance, I can take advantage and distract him thoroughly.”

“Thank you, Lex. I know you have more than enough else on your plate.”

“Kents are always a high priority for me,” Lex assured her. “Call me if he comes by, let me know how it goes.”

“I fear you really mean when.” 

“I fear you’re right.”

Jonathan wrapped himself around her again as she hung up. “I’m not going to let him hurt you,” he whispered into her hair.

“Just don’t let him take you down trying.”

~o0o~

Lionel’s limo pulled up two hours later. Martha called Sheriff Ethan as soon as she spotted it. Jonathan went straight to the porch.

“You’re not welcome here, Luthor,” Jonathan spat as Lionel stepped out of the limo.

“I fear your wife and I had a misunderstanding today. I want to clarify things, clear the air,” Lionel said. Once Martha might have thought him charming. Now she thought his tone smarmy.

“There was no misunderstanding,” Martha said, stepping through her front door to stand at Jonathan’s shoulder. “You have no further need of me. I quit.”

Lionel looked discomforted. “Martha, perhaps we could speak privately.”

“There is nothing you could say that you cannot say before my husband,” Martha informed him flatly.

“You told human resources you were quitting due to a hostile work environment.” Lionel continued to sound calm, a little worried, but she could see the fire in his eyes. “If you really want to leave LuthorCorp, there’s no need to lie to avoid giving two-week’s notice.”

“Lie?” Martha spat, holding Jonathan back from launching himself at Lionel with a touch to his shoulder. “I accepted the job because I wanted to help, to provide you support in a difficult time. I hoped I could humanize LuthorCorp. All I got for my trouble was threats to my son and his friends, science experiments that cannot possibly follow legal guidelines, and enough data for a sexual harassment suit.”

Jonathan growled, deep and angry. “Get off my property, Lionel. You are not welcome here. And stay the hell away from my wife.”

“Your wife,” Lionel spat. “Is that all she is to you, Jonathan? An object?”

Martha laughed, hysteria threatening as she struggled not to double over with mirth. “You are the one, Lionel, who sees people as objects. Now get off our property.”

Lionel moved closer, threat in his stance, but just then the Sheriff’s car pulled up the drive.

~o0o~

Chloe, Pete, and Lana huddled together on the couch at Chloe’s watching the evening news. It was not their thing, not in the slightest, but after the cryptic call from Clark earlier in the day, they were all dying to know what he was up to.

Well, Chloe was dying to know. She was fairly sure the others were equally curious, but it was dammed hard to parse Pete’s motivations of late.

“Hey, did he just mention Smallville?” Pete asked as the announcer introduced a statement from President Bartlett.

“I think….” Chloe listened.

“The needs of these people have long been ignored,” President Bartlett was saying. “I wish I could offer similar assistance to every inner city in need or low air quality area, but that isn’t yet an option. For the people of , Kansas, and the surrounding areas, however, I can and will do something.”

“My God, is that Clark?” Lana exclaimed, pointing over President Bartlett’s shoulder.

Chloe looked carefully, and sure enough. It was hard to recognize him in makeup, and that had to be a wig, but damn, standing right next to Lex Luthor was Clark Kent. Behind the president.

“Oh my God,” Chloe gasped.

“Damn, he has all the luck,” Pete spat.

The girls smacked him good with pillows.


	21. Los Angeles

Los Angeles went amazingly well. Apparently, being seen on the news with the President of the United States was an attractant to businessmen in California. Not only did every planned meeting end in an agreement to LexCorps’ favor, four more groups came forward and asked for meetings once they heard Lex was in LA.

“Shall I have the jet prepped?” Clark asked. It was only Thursday morning and they were supposed to fly out Saturday, but their agenda was clear as of the meeting they’d just left.

“Why?” Lex said, his expression blank.

“Because we’re done?” Clark replied, wishing he dared touch his hair, but the last thing he wanted to do was have to repair his wig again. DC had been hard enough on the updo, thank you. “No more meetings, nothing on your agenda. So we can go home.”

“Nothing on the formal agenda,” Lex said, a slight smirk curling the corner of his lips. 

Clark frowned, trying to figure out what Lex could possibly be hinting at. It took a moment, but his request in the plane on the way back to DC jumped back out of the depths of his mind, and his cheeks flushed hot.

Lex tapped on the glass separating him from the driver, one of their security team as usual. “Rodeo Drive, please,” he said once he could be heard.

“Lex?” Clark asked. He couldn’t imagine what his friend was planning.

“You wanted an experience, and I didn’t plan for clubbing, so we have clothes to buy.”

“Oh, not more clothes,” Clark protested. He already had all the suits and dresses he could stomach. God, how he longed for a flannel shirt and a pair of jeans.

“Well I suppose you could try showing up nude, but that would probably break the dress code as badly as your suits.” Lex was full on smirking now, his gray eyes twinkling.

Covering his burning cheeks with his hands, Clark gave up the argument. Not worth it. Too many potential minefields.

“We could just go home,” Lex said after a minute of silence. “If you prefer…. I just thought, since we’re here.”

Cheeks still flaming, and unlikely to recover soon, Clark looked away and mumbled, “No, you’re right. I want….” Damn it, he couldn’t say it again, but he did want to know what it was like.

Lex clapped a hand on Clark’s shoulder, a stable point in an ever shifting world. “Hey, you can back out any time, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, me included.”

Clark sucked in a deep breath and raised his head to meet Lex’s gaze. “I know.” No one could force him to do anything, even if he did have breasts. Well, maybe his mother. “I want to try this…. It’s just a bit embarrassing.”

“Don’t I know it,” Lex drawled. His own cheeks retained their usual complexion but from the set of his shoulders it was clear he was nervous as well.

~o0o~

Lex had rather expected Clark to pull out once he realized what Lex was suggesting for the evening, but the farmboy—or rather farm-alien—had held firm. If embarrassed.

Well, a sixteen year old kid should be embarrassed about asking their friend to help them get laid. Lex wouldn’t have been, but he’d been a pretty fucked up at sixteen.

LA wasn’t ideal for this, in part because of the very strict age of consent laws in California, but it was a much better idea than letting the paparazzi of Metropolis track them. And Clark’s ID, or rather Clara’s, listed an age of twenty-three. Well over eighteen. 

And if he kept reminding himself of that fact, Lex might stop feeling guilty.

His father would have his head for such an emotional reaction.

Lionel Luthor was a lying bastard who could fuck off and die. And Lex had done a lot to see that LuthorCorp would suffer in the near future between meetings with farmers. Oh, Daddy Dearest would regret playing Martha Kent for a fool, one way or another. Fortunately, the Kents hadn’t reported any further incursions since the sheriff drove Lionel off the farm last week. Hopefully, that wasn’t because such incursions just hadn’t been mentioned.

Leading Clark into one of the overpriced shops of Beverly Hills, Lex felt a bit like the businessman in _Pretty Woman_. Fortunately, Clark was far better dressed than Julia Roberts and there were no issues with getting service, even before Lex flashed his credit card.

“Lex,” Clark hissed as yet another three hundred dollar blouse was pressed on him. “I can’t wear this back in Smallville. There’s no point in paying so much clothes for one night.”

“Nonsense, I did this all the time at your… as a teen.” Lex considered the blouse and shook his head. “No, that’ll never do. Jewel tones. Such light colors just wash her out.”

“You’re perfectly right, sir,” one of the store associates said, whisking away the pale green blouse and offering another in vivid, ruby red. “Perhaps this would suit better. It won’t bring out her eyes, but with her skin….”

“Perfect,” Lex agreed. Clark almost glowed under the store lights just holding the shirt. Wearing it he’d be stunning. What to accessorize with it? “Try that on, Clara, just to be sure.”

~o0o~

The blouse had just been the start, and the first store. Next they’d gone hunting for leather, specifically a vest to go over the blouse. A very tight vest. Someone might use the term bodice or corset. Clark almost hyperventilated when he saw himself. Black over red, like something he’d wear on RedK. He wanted to refuse, even more profusely than before, but something in Lex’s eyes kept his mouth shut. And made his stomach tingle.

Clark just wished he could figure out what that look meant.

The point he did hold firm on was ‘no skirt.’ The staff at the third, fourth, and fifth stores were disappointed, but bowed to the inevitable. Several associates were sent off in tears when they dared to bring over yet another variation on the miniskirt, Lex backing Clark’s decision to the hilt.

Skin tight and yet comfortable enough that Clark almost felt like he could have run full speed in them, the pants Lex finally approved of at the sixth store were insanely expensive. Clark had felt like a complete fool in the dress back in New York, and he expected to feel just as foolish in this getup, even before they started a fight about shoes. And yet…. And yet he didn’t. The low neckline and the way his breasts were partly exposed was a bit… creepy, but still he felt impressive. Strong. Almost in control.

“They’re a bit tight,” Clark finally said after realizing he’d been turning circles in front of the mirror in silence for far too long. Looking in the mirror, he saw Lex’s gaze fixed on him and his expression… kinda reminded Clark of how everyone looked at Desiree. 

“It’s a club, not a cotillion. They’re perfect,” Lex purred.

“It’s an excellent look on you,” the latest sales associate to impress Lex agreed. “You’ve got perfect musculature. You should show it off more. I almost wonder if a sleeveless blouse, or just the vest—”

Clark gaped at the idea and Lex started focusing better as he frowned.

“No, the blouse is perfect,” Lex snapped, and Clark wondered what was going on behind grey eyes. “She just needs shoes. We’ll wear that out and go shoe shopping.” He handed over his credit card and they were soon on the sidewalk again. 

Clark felt like a fool walking down the sidewalk in such tight clothes. Everyone was looking at him. And yet, none of the looks were condemning. Even better, he could move. The vest was a bit tight, but he didn’t need to breath that deeply, and it flexed with him when he moved his arms. Whatever the pants were made of was incredible. One heck of a lot better than the business slacks he’d been wearing. Even if they were tight enough to negate the usefulness of the pockets.

The shoe hunt took some time. No one much carried something without heels, and Lex was quite firm. Which saved Clark the hassle. But in the end, the found a pair of calf high lace up boots that had no heels and were big enough to go around his calves. They were nowhere near as comfortable as Clark’s work boots, and costing way too much for a single evening, but they’d do.

Somewhere along the way, Lex collected a few bags of his own. But somehow Clark never saw what went into them. He was preparing to scan everything with his x-ray vision on the drive to their hotel when Lex distracted him thoroughly.

“Okay, we have clothes. I suggest leaving off the wig and styling your own hair for the evening. We’ll talk makeup style later.” Lex cupped his chin a moment before straightening and stiffening his spine. “Now, I know you’re embarrassed, but we do have a few things we need to talk about if we’re really going to do this.”

Clark fidgeted a moment, but nodded. “Of course. I asked because… I want to do this right.” Not make a complete mess of it like with Lana. Not that he needed to say that. His luck with anyone but a few close friends was pathetic. He just didn’t seem to understand new people right. And in a club, with loud music, unknown people, and drinks… it would be so easy to screw up.

“You can do your own hunting for companionship, or I can help you.” Lex’s cheeks were almost pink. If Clark looked close enough, he could see the capillaries expanding under Lex’s skin.

“I… ummm…” Clark stuttered into a moment of silence. He wasn’t sure he could handle this one his own, but asking Lex… that was just… beyond embarrassing.

“No rush to decide. We can try both,” Lex said quickly. “Whatever you’re comfortable with. But either way, I meet anyone you consider going with.”

Clark nodded quickly. He had no problem with Lex checking out any prospective… companions.

“Then, you call for a pick up and Nate brings you back to the hotel. If your companion doesn’t like that idea, he’s not the one. You’ve got the right to a first time somewhere other than a hallway or the back seat of a car.” Lex spoke firmly, and Clark nodded again. Though he did wonder where he was supposed to keep his cell phone in his new outfit.

“We’ve got some panic buttons, just in case, and I’ll have one rigged so you can wear it. He does anything you don’t like, hit the button. Mark and Tom will stay at the hotel, ready, just in case.”

“What about you?” The words rolled off Clark’s tongue before he thought about it. Really, it was Clark who’d needed body guards this trip, not Lex.

“Nate will drive and Samuel will come to the club with us.” It was clear Lex had planned this all out in advance, and Clark was wondering if he’d missed a meeting. “Nate can pick up Samuel and me sometime later.”

Clark frowned, but Lex waved it off. “This isn’t Smallville. And I’ll have my phone, wallet, and Samuel. I can always call a cab if I need to get out quick.”

“Alright,” Clark finally said.

“Condoms will be in your bedside drawer. Use them.”

“Lex,” Clark hissed. “I can’t—“

“Doesn’t matter. It’s safer for both of you and maintains appearances.”

Clark huffed, but he had to admit Lex had a point. But he was embarrassed that Lex was thinking about such things for him.

“So you’re okay with my terms?”

Clark took a deep breath and reviewed everything Lex had said. Then he nodded. “Yes. Lex?”

“Clark?” Lex cocked his head in question.

“Thank you.”

The resulting smile was beautiful to behold.

~o0o~

Lex questioned his sanity as he studied Clark in all his glory. In the stores, bewigged and made up like an assistant, Clark had been stunning. Made up for a club and with his natural hair artfully tousled (and oh hadn’t that been fun to help with), he was both quintessentially Clark and exquisitely female.

It might be necessary to switch to looser pants for the evening, lest Lex break his dick.

“Are you sure about this?” Clark asked softly, studying himself in the mirror. Which left Lex time to observe Clark fully from the front and back. It was hard to say which was a better view.

“I’m wondering if I should as to borrow your father’s rife,” Lex said, forcing himself to imagine Jonathan’s reaction to his son as a means of controlling his libido. 

“What?” Clark turned and looked at Lex, his brow furrowed.

“To drive off your admirers,” Lex said, trying to sound amused instead of jealous. “You look stunning, Clark. You’ll have your pick of the room tonight.”

Clark rubbed his hand up and down through the back of his hair, which only made him look more alluring. “Really?”

“Really. Now, I’d better get ready myself.” Lex slipped out of Clark’s room with a smile and struggled to walk calmly past his security team instead of bolting into his room.

Fuck, did he have time to masturbate before they left? He’d already done so before dinner, but it hadn’t helped.

~o0o~

Clark was almost feeling comfortable in his skin, a state he hadn’t felt since before he’d been told he was an alien. So really, this whole trip was doing some pretty impressive stuff for him.

The feeling fled when Lex walked out of his room dressed for the evening. He looked… amazing. A silky purple shirt sparkled around his shoulders, tailored to fit him perfectly and unbuttoned to his mid chest so the color contrasted with the pale white of his skin. The shirt was tucked into a pair of gray pants that were as tight as Clark’s, and given the differences in their anatomies at the moment, Clark wasn’t sure how Lex got them zipped without hurting himself. The outfit was finished off with black boots, also rather akin to Clark’s—when had Lex had time to try them on let alone buy them?— and something clasped around his wrist.

“Is that… the panic button?” Clark rose from the couch and walked over, his alternate modes of vision picking out the wiring and moving parts within the bracelet.

“Very good,” Lex said, and his smile made the tingling in Clark’s stomach double. “One for me and one for you.” He held out a black band, superficially a leather wrist cuff, but containing the same wiring as the one he wore.

Clark held out his left wrist and shivered as Lex’s fingers lightly caressed his skin while putting on the cuff.

“Hmm.” Lex looked Clark over, that little wrinkle in his brow, before his hands flew out and undid another button on Clark’s shirt. He jerked back from the touch, surprised and shocked to have Lex’s hands so close to his breasts.

“Sorry,” Lex said, stepping back. 

“Sokay,” Clark mumbled, ducking his head. “Just startled me.” His hands crept up. The silk was open right to the leather now and it looked like his breasts were going to spill right out of his top. And his breasts weren’t all that big.

“Ah.” Lex caught his hands. “Leave it. You look good.”

Well, Lex had said that before, but if he was saying it again, Clark should probably believe him. “Can we get going?” he asked softly, looking at Lex through his lashes because he knew his cheeks were bright red again. “Before I lose my nerve.”

Lex offered his arm, a familiar enough move of late that Clark tucked his hand in the crook of Lex’s arm before he thought about it, and escorted Clark from the room, Samuel on their heels.

~o0o

That last button had been a bad idea. Not because Clark didn’t look extra alluring, but because Lex couldn’t keep his eyes off the swell of golden flesh. And Lex needed to remind himself he wasn’t there to be Clark’s first.

Even though he’d really like to be.

Conversation was rather lacking in the car, between Clark’s nerves and Lex’s fixation with his best friends breasts. Fortunately, when they arrived at the club, Lex was snapped back into reality by the crowds.

And the cameras. Damn it, he hadn’t thought this was a big enough name venue to have paparazzi. If the Kents saw these photos… if his father saw….

Fuck it, he was here for Clark. They’d deal.

Inside, the music pulsed with deep based that reverberated off of every wall at earbleed levels. Clark had to lean in until he was almost touching Lex’s ear before he was understandable.

“I’m going to try… wandering a bit," he said hesitantly.

Lex clapped him on the shoulder and nodded. He wasn’t too worried. Clark could push anyone through a wall if they were a problem, and somewhere in here was a perfect subject. Lex had made sure of that.

Because he sure as hell wasn’t going to let Clark off in a club to just pick and choose from the riff-raff. No, Lex had called a reputable agency days ago, carefully picked through their catalog, and chosen the three he thought most likely to attract Clark: a male Lana clone, a male Chloe clone, and a tough guy who reminded Lex of stories of Jessie. Hopefully Clark went to type and wanted someone smaller than himself. There weren’t a lot of options with Clark’s muscle mass or better.

Clawing his way up to the bar kept Lex from fixating on Clark as he eeled into the dance floor. And it was where he’d arranged to meet his own date for the evening. Lex had specifically chosen a petite redhead despite his recent obsession with all things dark haired and built. No need to confuse Clark.

Amanda was as lovely as her picture, and presented Lex with her business card as requested. So he bought her a drink and they clambered through the crowed, Samuel ever nearby, until they found a table. It was in a bit of a dark corner, but Lex had every confidence Clark would find him just fine whenever he was ready.

~o0o~

The club was insane. Crowded and loud. Clark wasn’t sure he could hear anything, and yet he could also hear everything. Even as he worked his way onto the dance floor, it seemed like he could hear Lex’s heartbeat across the room.

Probably another issue of being an alien. Clark so wasn’t going to think about that tonight. Tonight wasn’t about being Kryptonian. It was about being female. He was going to get the hang of this and change back, damn it. He missed his dick.

Though he’d never have been able to go to a club as Clark Kent and get these kinds of looks. Every time he went out with Lex before, though never to a place like this, he’d felt awkward, the country bumpkin or a child following around an adult. Tonight he felt… strong, powerful, like the eyes that followed him were complimentary instead of condemning.

He wasn’t quite sure why the difference, but he liked it.

Dancing was still a bit awkward. Clark was never quite sure what to do with himself, and always struggling to keep his speed normal and reasonable. Watching the boys around him had never been helpful before, but tonight, watching the women was a revelation. The way they swung and shimmied… could he do that?

~o0o~

Amanda was perfect company. She drank her drink, cuddled up, and didn’t mind that Lex was mostly focused on watching for Clark.

When did the shy farmboy learn to dance?

Men were circling Clark with abandon, but he was brushing off all but an occasional offer to dance closer. Lex spotted the tough guy he’d contracted, but he was waved off with no sign of interest. As was the blond, his hair glowing in the strobe light.

Lex lost sight of Clark for a minute, and was surprised to finally spot him coming towards the table. He prepared to stand, assuming Clark was coming for help, but finally spotted someone clinging to Clark’s hand.

The Lana look alike. Figured.

“Clara,” Lex said with a smile, shoving out one of the empty chairs with his foot. “Done dancing?”

Clark must have heard despite the noise because he nodded, but rather than sit, he leaned in until Lex could hear him. “I think this might be him.”

Yanking his eyes away from Clark’s cleavage, he offered his hand to the Lana clone. The shake was respectable, and a business card was slipped in, just as it was supposed to be. “Pleasure to meet you,” Lex mouthed. The other man grinned and snuggled up to Clark, looking utterly pleased to be tucked under that red clad arm.

“She’s gorgeous,” the man mouthed back, after checking that Clark wasn’t looking.

Lex had to smile. It looked promising, and his superiors had said this man—Ben was it?—was very talented. Clark was going to have a good night.

Clark glanced to the door and back, clearly eager to go. Lex raised a hand like a phone to his ear and nodded to the door. Clark grinned even as his cheeks darkened and he pulled his phone from the small pocket in his vest and hit send.

Not wanting to watch Clark leave with another, Lex turned to his companion. This was why he didn’t see Clark coming and was surprised by the kiss pressed to his cheek.

“Thanks for everything, Lex.” The words were soft, but even with the music, Lex heard every syllable clearly. They echoed in his ears long after Clark was beyond the door.

“I’m surprised you’re not the one leaving with your friend,” Amanda said, leaning in at the perfect angle to press her breasts to his arm..

“It’s complicated,” Lex yelled back. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hefted her into his lap. He really, really didn’t want to think about Clark anymore, but Nate would be a bit. Amanda didn’t seem to mind if waiting included his hands under her skirt and few words.


	22. I'm Going to Disneyland

Clark woke early despite his late night. He wasn’t used to California time yet. Honestly, he wasn’t sure he’d gotten much sleep at all, but it didn’t seem to matter as much anymore. He’d noticed last summer that he didn’t seem to need much sleep. Sleeping in on school mornings just seemed to be habit. Though it had been harder to wake up as winter progressed. 

Still, the need for sleep was one of the last things on his mind when he awoke that morning. Memories of why he was up so late were far more important.

He needed to thank Lex. Better yet, find some way to do more than just ‘thank.’ Last night had been incredible. Beyond words amazing.

_”I’ve never exactly… done this before,” Clark had admitted when embarrassment had overcome him after they made it in the door of the suite._

_Dorian had just smiled and snuggled closer under Clark’s arm. “Oh, a blushing virgin? Darling, I’m going to give you such a treat.”_

_“Well, not exactly….” Not a virgin at all, but there was no way to explain that._

_“Nonsense. You are as much a virgin as you feel.” Dorian slid to Clark’s front and cupped his face in his hands. “Tonight, just relax and feel.” And he kissed Clark._

There had been this instant where Clark hadn’t been sure he’d want to be kissed by a guy. Sure he’d asked Lex to help him get to this place, but he was straight? Right?

Yeah, and he was a girl now, so if his brain had changed then he should be straight for guys now.

Well it hadn’t taken long to decide that kissing Dorian was well worth experiencing. And when kissing had evolved to other touching and naked touching….Well, Clark might be fairly inexperienced, but he was still pretty sure that Dorian was very, very good at sex.

Lex had come back sometime in the middle of round one, when Clark had been far too distracted to notice. But after, panting and limp, he’d started hearing… and then his x-ray vision had kicked in.

_Lex lay in his bed, face up, and Clark could only see a glimpse of his face, but his eyes were rolled back and his expression twisted with pleasure. His companion, the redhead from the club, was atop him, riding him._

_God, was it her, her bare breasts bouncing as she thrust down, or him, arching up into her, that sent heat flooding to Clark’s core?_

_“Hey there, darling.” Damian’s hand on Clark’s cheek caught her attention. “Was I so bad?”_

_“No… no, not at all…. Umm….” Clark didn’t know what to say, how to admit seeing his best friend having sex with a woman had left him wanting more._

_Damian dipped his head down and sucked at one of Clark’s nipples. It was hard before he got to it, but after…. That felt sooooo good._

_“Round two then?” Damian suggested. “It seems like my blushing virgin isn’t quite done with me.”_

Round two had been followed by round three, and while Damian hadn’t been capable of round four, he’d proven there were a lot of other ways to get a woman off besides insert tab A into slot B. Women really could have a lot of orgasms.

So, apparently, could Lex. He’d kept up as long as Clark had, leaving his girl exhausted and sprawled across the bed.

_”Holy shit…. I should be paying you.”_

_The words caught Clark’s attention as he drowsed and he’d glanced through the wall again._

_“I’m sure you say that to all your johns,” Lex drawled, looking fairly worn out himself._

_“Sure, but with you I mean it.” She trailed a hand down his chest. “I’ve never met a man like you… and I’ve no idea why you let that sweet girl go off with someone else, but I’m grateful. Her loss is my gain.”_

_Clark turned away then, but he couldn’t seem to stop listening._

_“It’s complicated.”_

_“You said that before.”_

_“She’s my employee.”_

_“You’d be far from the first boss to bang his assistant. And most bosses I know don’t pay out extra so their assistant doesn’t realize they went home with a prostitute.”_

_“She’s my friend.”_

_“Hmmm… I’ll believe that. Though maybe it’s because she’s not Clark.”_

_“Don’t—”_

_“Hey, I don’t care who gets your crank going. Jesse would have been happy to come back with you… or both of us.”_

_“I’m good.”_

_“Hmm, me too.”_

Clark still didn’t know what to make of that conversation. For now, he set it aside and tried not to think about it. What mattered was under it all sat the implication that Lex had gone out of his way to make sure last night was perfect. By throwing money at the problem.

Lex did that a lot.

Clark let him.

Maybe it was time Clark stopped taking advantage of his friend so much.

“You’re thinking much too hard, darling, for so early in the morning.” Damian snuggled up close, wrapping his arm around Clark’s middle.

“It was a… unique night. Lots to think over,” Clark replied, tightening his arm around Damian. He could get used to having another body in bed with him. It was… comfortable.

“Hmm.” Damian nuzzled his nose into Clark’s neck. “How about a little more fun, if you’re going to be up?”

“I should start getting ready for the day,” Clark countered, though he had no idea what Lex might have scheduled. Still, he’d ordered breakfast for eight-thirty.

“Have you ever tried shower sex?”

Clark blinked, trying to imagine the necessary convolutions. Then he thought ‘fuck it’ and decided to just try it.

~o0o~

Guilt weighed heavy in Lex’s chest as he wandered into the living room that morning. Amanda was still sprawled across his bed, out cold. Apparently, thinking about Clark having sex in the next room was enough to keep Lex going all night. And far past the endurance of simple humans.

Despite her expressed opinion, Lex was not a sex god.

Clark and the Lana look-alike were seated around the table, breakfast already laid out. They’d both dug in.

“Lex, good morning,” Clark said, looking up from his eggs with a blush. But while he was blushing, he didn’t look upset. In fact, he looked happy. Possibly more so that Lex had ever seen him look before.

“Good morning, Clara.” Clark looked good in nothing but a robe, his hair dripping down his neck. And Lex really needed to stop thinking things like that. “Think you’ll be ready in half an hour?”

“Will you?” Clark asked, clearly eyeing Lex’s own robe. He nudged out a chair at the table. “You still need to eat.”

Lex didn’t know what to say, so he sat and served himself. Not too much. He had a sour stomach at present.

“Lex?” Clark’s hand caught Lex’s.

“Yes?” Lex wasn’t sure what else to say. They had company, so a point question about last night was out.

“I just wanted to say… thank you. For last night. It was… incredible.” Green eyes glanced at the Lana look-alike—what was his name?—and Clark’s cheeks deepened to a vibrant red.

“I’m glad,” Lex said, tightening his fingers against Clarks for a moment.

That seemed to be enough for the moment. They ate in silence, Clark and his new lover sharing a few pointed glances. There was possibly some footsy as well. Amanda eventually joined them, her hair a tangled mess as she had yet to shower.

When Clark went to dress, Lex turned to the two paid companions. “You two can stay for a bit. Matthews will be in to pack up in an hour, though.”

“A quick shower would be good,” Amanda said. “Share a cab back, Damian?”

“Sounds good,” the Lana—Damian said. “I must say, sir, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. You could have hired two of us… just to keep up with her.”

Lex felt the blood in his body shift, some down, some trying to rush to his cheeks. “Shh,” he hissed, glancing at Clark’s door. But it was still closed.

Amanda giggled into her coffee, and Lex had a feeling he’d be at the heart of her gossip for the next bit.

Feeling more off footed than he’d been in years, Lex slunk back to his room to get dressed.

~o0o~

Casual, Lex had said, so casual Clark dressed. Or as close as he could with what he’d packed. The jeans and shirt he’d worn from Smallville were still in the bags, so he pulled on those. But he was still Clara, so he switched from the shirt to one of the more casual blouses and put on his usual updo wig. Catching a look at himself in the mirror, it was like he was caught between Clark and Clara. Last night, he’d felt the same, caught between, but in a different way somehow.

Somehow saying goodbye to Damian included a kiss. And then one for Amanda…. Which had been both weird and wonderful in ways he couldn’t describe. But finally Lex had swept them away and led the way to the car.

“So where are we going?” Clark finally asked after ten minutes on the road. He didn’t recognize much of LA yet, but this definitely wasn’t a route they’d taken before.

“Well,” Lex drawled, settling into his seat a little more deeply. “We got more deals than I’d ever dreamed, met the President of the United States, and explored your femininity in detail. I believe the media of our youth said the proper thing to do after such successes was go to Disneyland.”

Clark broke out in giggles. “Oh my…. You did not…. That’s too much.”

Lex chuckled a little too. “Honestly, I just wanted to do something fun today.”

“Lex….” Clark caught Lex’s hand. He could see the doubt in Lex’s eyes, something he’d never been as aware of. “Really, last night was amazing.”

“I….” Lex glanced away, a frown on his lips. “I wanted it to be perfect, but I know you and Lana….”

Clark shook his head and let out a sigh. Stubborn idiot. “I love Lana… loved Lana. But let’s be honest, she’s never got to accept all of me like you do. I’ve romanticized love, and my love for Lana, for a long time. But I don’t anymore. I’m not just the confused farm boy who desperately needed something normal to hold onto. This”—Clark waved a hand at himself, his chest and all—“has opened my eyes to so much more. Last night… I can’t remember the last time I felt that comfortable in my own skin… long before you hit me with your porche.”

Lex finally met Clark’s eyes, his stormy grey orbs full of wonder and hope. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. Last night wasn’t perfect, no first night could be. But it was what I needed. Really.”

A deep sigh slipped out of Lex, and something in his spine finally relaxed. And that let Clark relax. They were okay. Thank God. He’d been worried when Lex came out of his bedroom looking so… freaked.

“Damian was what I needed, and thank you for finding him.”

Lex froze. “What?”

Clark had to smile as his cheeks warmed. “Umm, I overheard a few things, sorry.”

Lex raised an eyebrow. “Overheard…?”

“You and Amanda…” Shit, Clark didn’t know what to say. So much for cool and confident Clark.

“Oh… I’m sorry, I never meant you…. Just how good are your ears?”

“Better than ever, apparently.” Clark shrugged. He’d never heard so much before, but his gifts seemed to be jumping by leaps and bounds of late. Increased hearing, improved vision. Maybe he’d learn to fly soon. “Look, I didn’t mean to listen in, but I did, and… while I’m a bit embarrassed by the amount of money you must have spent on last night… for me… I’m not mad.”

Lex huffed and his fingers tightened against Clark’s.

“But you’ve got to stop spending so much on me. This whole trip has been… amazing. Last night was over the top. I’m just a simply guy from Kansas…. I know I ask for things. I don’t mean to keep….” Shoot, he had no idea how to express this.

“My father raised me to believe any problem could be solved with a proper application of money.” Lex smirked. “I don’t believe that’s always true, but it can be handy… and right now… I don’t know how else to help. And I do want to help, Clark.”

“You have. Like I said, this whole trip has been amazing. But also, just having you believe in me, and not treat me any different despite… everything you’ve learned. That’s meant the most. Sometimes the simple stuff means more than the money.”

~o0o~

“Okay, sometimes the money is so worth it,” Clark said as they stared up at the castle at the end of Main Street, USA.

Lex snickered. As much as Clark protested, now and at other times, he always accepted those gifts his parents would let him. And Lex didn’t really see that changing.

“This is so cool.”

“A bit childish,” Lex said, drawing on his father’s disdain for all beneath him.

Clark slugged him lightly in the shoulder. “Oh come on, you’re as excited as I am. Shoot, I should have brought a camera. Pete’s never going to believe this.”

Lex leaned in a little. “I told Samuel to pack one.”

Clark turned and their noses were almost touching. “Really?”

“I got shots of you in Central Park, on the Mall, and he’ll get photos of here. You’ll get copies of everything.”

Shock froze Lex when Clark dropped a quick kiss on his lips.

“Perfect.”

Yes. Yes, it was.

~o0o~

Disneyland was amazing. They’d stayed until the park closed and Lex had already had their things moved to another hotel near the park so they could trail in and collapse. Waking up alone had almost been disorienting after the day before, but Clark still had a spring in his step all the way up to takeoff.

He still didn’t like flying.

“So, do you think you’re ready to go back to school?” Lex asked, pretending to be focused on several documents Matthew had proffered after takeoff and before he and the security staff had tucked themselves in the back end of the plane.

Clark considered before he answered. Facing his schoolmates would suck, plain and simple. The teasing would be legion. But it would pass. And Smallville tended to let the weird and wacky become normal before long. 

He missed his friends, and even the routine of class. It would be good to get back to it.

“Yes, I think I am.”

Lex looked up, studying Clark carefully. “Are you sure? High school can be brutal on those trying to find themselves.”

“True.” Clark had noticed that, for years really. “But I think… I’m closer to knowing myself than I have in a long time.”

Lex raised an eyebrow, and Clark continued.

“Remember when I said… I said that I’d clung to the knowledge that I was a heterosexual male in love with Lana Lang?” He waited for a nod before continuing. “Well, I’m not. I know that now. I’m probably bisexual…. The, uh… in the club….” He licked his lips and waved a hand over his chest, remembering some of the outfits he’d seen. Lex’s lips quirk into a smile. “Well, I’m still exploring, but in my heart, I know I’m Clark Kent, child of Martha and Jonathan Kent, friend of Lex Luthor. The rest… the rest is subject to change without notice. But I can work with that.”

Lex set a hand on Clark’s and squeezed gently. “Yeah, I think you can.”


	23. Coming Home

The smooth purr of a well tuned, high quality engine caught Martha’s attention and sent her running for her front door. She didn’t have Clark’s ears, but she still stepped onto the cold porch in time to see one of Lex’s Porsches pulling to a stop. Out of the passenger seat climbed Lex, looking surprisingly relaxed. He wore jeans under his overpriced winter coat. 

But it was the figure who emerged from the driver’s seat that caught all her attention. Clark climbed out of the car looking… at ease. It was neither the scared and confused child she’d sent off weeks ago nor the made up secretary who’d come by for dinner last weekend. This Clark looked at peace in his jeans and work boots, but under his open winter jacket was what appeared to be a baby-doll style t-shirt emblazoned with a picture of Beauty and the Beast dancing. Not exactly the kind of shirt she’d expect her “son” to wear, let alone the kind of image he’d choose.

“Clark,” she cried, rushing off the porch to wrap her arms around her child.

“Mom,” Clark said, hugging her back, then nudging her away and wrapping his hands around her waist. “I can’t believe it. I think you’ve gotten bigger since last weekend.”

“You should see how she’s eating,” Jonathan said from behind her, and she whirled right around and smacked him on the shoulder.

“Jonathan!”

He just leaned over and kissed her, then pulled Clark into a hug. If you didn’t know him well, the move would look relaxed and natural. But Clark could probably see just as well as she could how hard Jonathan was working to hide the little winces and hesitations.

Martha couldn’t watch it, so she walked around the car to where Lex was standing with a strained smile on his face. “Lex, thank you,” she said, wrapping him in a hug before he could protest. He was stiff in her arms at first, but after a moment melted into her touch. “Thank you for helping my child.”

Lex didn’t respond, and in some ways that was probably the realist and most honest reaction. No trite lines, no witty Luthor repartee.

“Come on, both of you. It’s too cold to stand out here. Dinner will be ready in a little bit.” Martha nudged Lex toward the door, and he went. But Clark was telling them he wouldn’t stay for dinner even before he took off his jacket.

“Why?” Jonathan said sounding a little angry, but he quickly reigned it in when Martha looked at him.

“I called to make an appointment with Dr. Willowbrook and he insisted on dinner,” Clark said, perfectly professionally, not showing a single flinch at his father’s anger.  
Jonathan frowned again a moment before pulling himself together. “Why do you want to meet with Dr. Willowbrook?”

Martha understood his concern. She hadn’t liked the interest the man had in their son and his relationship to the caves either. But she trusted Clark would have a good reason.

“Principal Reynolds…” Clark hesitated and shrugged. “He might not let me back in.”

“Of course he’ll let you back in,” Jonathan said sharply.

Clark shrugged again. “He hates Lex and isn’t that fond of me. He doesn’t get Smallville very well. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have a backup plan, and really, I kinda do have a right to attend the Kawatche school as anyone there.”

“They don’t know that,” Martha said hesitantly. 

“They suspect,” Clark said, glancing between Lex and his father. “Jor-El says this area was chosen, this planet was chosen for me because they’re here. They’re really the closest blood relatives I have left. Though I don’t know how close the relationship is. Still, I’d like to learn more about them, and that means taking the first step.”

Jonathan looked mulish, so Martha stepped in before he could put his foot in it. “You think telling them the truth is the best decision?”

“Dr. Willowbark won’t betray my secrets,” Clark said confidently. “He’s hinted broadly as much many times. And I’m tired of being afraid so much. Everyone is going to know I’m not normal because I’ll be stuck like this all year. So maybe it’s time to stop pretending so much. If I’m a little more honest about being weird, have a few more people willing to hide the full extent of things, then everyone else will just… assume that’s all there is to it.”

“This is Lex’s idea?” Jonathan said. Somehow he managed to make it sound like a question instead of a condemnation.

“Actually, no, it’s all Clark’s idea,” Lex said. “I just suggested the Kawatche school as a backup option. People like my father will always be a risk, but they are a danger now, and more people looking out for Clark can only make it harder for my father and his ilk to act. They work best in the shadows, on the unknown and forgotten.”

Clark smirked, an expression that was a little more Lex than Clark. “He’ll find me hard to disappear now. I got the distinct impression President Bartlett was planning to set up a watch for all the known meteor mutants, myself included.”

Before Jonathan could explode, Lex added, “It’s a protective measure, to keep unscrupulous types inside and outside the government from acting. I’m going to set something similar up through Cadmus. Anonymity is only so much protection. Yes, there will be consequences, but a bright light is often the best defense against shadow men.” He shrugged his shoulders,and in that moment she realized he was wearing a t-shirt with Scrooge McDuck surfing a wave of coins down from his money bin across the front. Martha had to wonder how the heck her child had talked the younger Luthor into that sartorial choice. “My best protection was always being in the spotlight as a Luthor. It wasn’t until I started acting out and hit all the tabloids that the testing stopped.”

Martha’s heart leapt into her throat as she processed the implication of those words. She looked at Jonathan and saw he had the same realization. Lex was projecting a facade of calm and unconcerned, but Clark leaning into his shoulder indicated no one in the room was fooled.

“Your father….?” Jonathan stuttered to a stop, somehow unable to say it, even as much as he despised Lionel Luthor.

Lex smirked. “I think I blocked a lot of it out, but yes. He wanted to understand what the meteors did to me. The effects seem to have increased over time, so fortunately he’s not aware of the full extent of my mutation. If I were as I am now when Mother died, I expect I would have vanished from the public eye.”

~o0o~

The smirk was a front. Lex was wondering what the hell had possessed him to say so much to anyone, let alone the Kents. Fortunately, Clark seemed to recognize the suppressed panic in Lex’s features and started making noise about needing to get going because he had to talk to Jor-El before heading for Dr. Willowbrook’s. Unfortunately, Martha made it very clear she wanted to speak to Lex without her son around.

“We will talk about those revelations of yours later,” Martha said once Clark was down in the storm cellar. Her voice was firm, but her eyes were on her husband, who seemed more than a little confused. “For now… How is he? Really?” 

The smile that graced Lex’s features now was honest and held the same relief he felt. “Good. Really good. I admit I was worried a bit in the middle.” _Don’t mention the attempted rape. Don’t mention the attempted rape._ “But by the end… I think he’s really starting to come to terms with things.”

Martha collapsed onto a kitchen stool, and it was Lex’s turn to find the coffee while Jonathan gave her a hug.

“Thank you, Lex,” Martha said as she took a mug of coffee, and Lex had the feeling she wasn’t just talking about the hot drink.

“I have to admit, the shirt was a bit of a surprise,” Jonathan said, brow wrinkled and eyes on Lex’s own shirt. Damn Clark and his puppy dog eyes. Lex now had half a dozen Disney shirts and had been warned Clark would be finding ways to get Lex into them.

“When one has breasts, shirts cut for them can often feel better,” Lex said with a shrug. “I think he finds the cut closer to the shirts he used to wear, less bunching when he moves.”

“It’s good that he’s more comfortable with things we’d label feminine.”

Jonathan looked at his wife, his face a mask of surprise. “But… when he changed back…?”

“What matters is getting him comfortable enough to be able to change,” Martha said firmly. “I’ve been talking with Jor-El. He’s made it very clear that Clark has to be comfortable as a woman before his… ah… morphic resonance stabilizes enough to change back. It seems it’s not just a matter of being relaxed, but also of agreement between mind and body. So get used to it, Jonathan. Clark is still Clark, but for the next year, you have a daughter.”

There was a disturbing amount of red in his cheeks, and Jonathan looked ready to bite through his lower lip, but he said nothing.

“Do you think he’s ready to go back to school?” Martha asked.

“I honestly don’t know. He says he is.” Lex rubbed at the back of his head. “I’m sure there will be backsliding at some point, no matter how long we wait. Teenagers are....”

Martha laughed. “Yes, I remember it well. We just have to be there to support him through it.”

“Anything he needs,” Lex said firmly, meaning every word. “Clark wants to try Smallville High, or the Kawatche school if Principal Reynolds just won’t be reasonable. But if those don’t turn out, well there are private schools we could convince to take a transfer student, where he’d be without the baggage of those who knew him before.”

“We can’t afford that,” Jonathan said, but the words were soft, hesitant.

Lex clenched his jaw. “Look, I’m trying to be reasonable about this. What matters to me is Clark, not your moral high ground.”

“Lex, please,” Martha said gently. “We’re trying.”

“I know…” Lex huffed, disgusted at the emotion he was showing. “I know you don’t want to take my money. Would you consider William Clark’s?” 

Martha frowned and studied Lex like a bug under a microscope for almost a minute. “What did you tell him?”

“That Clark is stuck like this due to no fault of his own, that we needed help with the politics in DC. Congressman Ashton was quite… insulting. We focused primarily on having the jackass replaced. But he is … aware… that Clark may be in need of added support in the near future.”

“I see.” Martha pursed her lips then patted Jonathan on the arm. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“Martha?” Jonathan whimpered.

“When we come to it,” Martha said firmly. “It seems we have a number of additional options and a lot more variables now.” She stared at Lex. “Just what does the President know?”

Lex swallowed hard, suddenly remembering that Martha had once been set to become a lawyer. He had a feeling she would have been a very, very good lawyer.

~o0o~

Clark hated to leave Lex after that revelation. He’d gotten the hint previously that Lionel had experimented a bit on Lex, especially during the meetings in DC, but the young businessman had never been so open about it. Unfortunately, Clark needed to talk to Jor-El before dinner, and he was running out of time. So Clark had to trust his mother not to be to hard on Lex, and to rein in Jonathan, and get on with his own tasks.

When Clark got to Dr. Willowbrook’s residence, he was a little nervous. There were a lot of ways this could go. Dr. Willowbrook had been a little more… reverential of Clark that he’d been comfortable with. But maybe most of that had been Kyla. Well, the decision was made, too late to back out now.

Dr. Willowbrook, Joseph as he insisted, was most welcoming and managed to tone it down enough to make Clark relax. He didn’t even ask about Clark being, well, not Clark shaped. But finally they had to get to the point.

“You said you had a request?” Joseph said.

Clark bit his lip and gestured at himself. “As you can see, I’ve gone through a bit of a change.”

“Yes, I wondered if this was… normal for you?”

“Ah, no. There was a necklace the teens of Smallville have been using as a sex toy. For normal humans, it means an hour or three of gender change. Time for some fun but no real impact. For others… Well, I wouldn’t recommend it for any of the Kawatche line. It could have killed me. And we’re… family.”

Joseph’s eyes lit up at this. “I had begun to wonder if you would ever admit…”

Clark rubbed at his forehead. “Well… this isn’t easy. My parents raised me to never say anything, to protect me.”

“I can see the wisdom in this,” Joseph said. “But there are limits to denial.”

“I know,” Clark said with a nod. “I’ve been hitting them a lot lately.”

“As delighted as I am to hear you acknowledge our relationship, I suspect you have reasons for telling me now.”

“Yes. Well. Sorry, I thought I had this planned out better.” Clark paused a moment and bit his lip while he thought. “I only recently learned the truth about myself. And even more recently learned of the closeness of our relationship. The… we lost the key to the computer system my parents sent with me… when they sent me here…”

Joseph set a comforting hand on Clark’s hand. “Say only as much as you are comfortable with.”

Clark took a deep breath, sifting through the knowledge Jor-El had imparted that evening. “Okay, the thing that made me… a girl, it doesn’t work well on my kind. It could have killed me, but since it didn’t, It’s going to take a while before it’s safe to use again, to change back. And to be blunt, my principal hates me, so he might not let me back into school. I was hoping that I might make a deal with you, with the Kawatche tribe, for access to your school if Principal Reynolds kicks me out.”

“And what would this deal entail?”

This Clark could say. “I get a backup option for schooling. And in return, I will share with you the true origin of the Kawatche people.”

Joseph sat back in his chair, a hand pressed to his chest, his eyes wide. “Oh… my. You have this information?”

“Yes. I’m prepared to share it with you now,” Clark said firmly. “As a token of good faith. I don’t know who you’d need to speak with—”

“It is not I who should speak with them.” Joseph’s stern face took on a merry grin. “When you called… I had hoped. Well, I chose this night to meet because the elders of the tribe will be meeting in…” He checked his watch. “Half an hour. I believe you should make your bargain with them.”

“I…” Clark bit his tongue before he could say anything stupid. This was exactly the chance he’d been hoping for. No use chickening out now. “That would be perfect.”

~o0o~

The meeting of the elders looked more like the coffee klatch of the elders of Smallville than anything else, but Clark strove to treat the moment with all propriety. He shook hands with everyone and filed away names and other tidbits that Joseph dropped. It was a lot like going to a business meeting with Lex, and Clark was determined to see this meeting go just as well as all those he had seen in the last weeks.

“Honored elders,” Clark began once he’d been invited to speak to the whole group. “It is an honor to speak with you. In truth, it is an honor to meet you. I an orphan, and while I was raised by loving parents I very much adore, I have long wished to meet my kin. And tonight I know I have.” Clark bowed slightly to Chief Gloria Moonwater. “I come before you today to ask a boon, and to share with you knowledge lost to the Kawatche. It is my honor to tell you that you are the descendants of Mol-Av of Krypton.”

Clark stopped there as the elders broke out into frantic discussion. Disbelief was a main component. And shock.

The chatter continued until Chief Moonwater cut in and shouted them all down. “Goodness. Worse than children, the lot of you. Joseph Willowbrook, you brought this young woman before us. Explain.”

“I have told you before,” Joseph said, “that I met a young man down in the caves who I believed was of the line of our ancestor from the stars. You all know”—he glared at several of the group, some of the loudest disbelievers—“that my granddaughter was a skinwalker. She discovered Clark, and some of what he could do. If he tells us that we are the children of Mol-Av, then I believe him.”

“Him?” Chief Moonwater asked, pointedly looking at Clark.

“Yes, this is Clark Kent,” Joseph said. “I do believe I did introductions earlier.”

Clark snorted. “You did, but the mind only absorbs that which it understands, and there is an understandable disconnect with me at present. Chief Moonwater, there is a device used by a race whose name I cannot pronounce to change their gender,” Clark said flattly. “I don’t know how one ended up on Earth, let alone how it was discovered by a bunch of teenagers, but I was exposed. Unfortunately, Kryptonians do not react well to having their gender changed, and I will be stuck like this for some time. My adoptive parents named me Clark Kent. My birth parents named me Kal-El.”

“Kal-El,” Chief Moonwater said over the frantic discussion of those around her. “And what is our relation? Other than a connection through the… place… of your birth?”

“Just that would be enough,” Clark said sadly, “as my records tell me I am quite likely the only survivor of a planetwide disaster.” He paused as that garnered a bit of shocked silence. “However, my family records tells me that my mother’s mother was of the House of Av, descended from Mol-Av’s brother. So we are all descended from the same line.”

Chief Moonwater nodded and looked at the other elders, who for once were holding their tongues and looking thoughtful. “Well, does anyone see a reason not to accept that our cousin stands before us?”

A few looked uncertain, but no one voiced disagreement.

“Wonderful. Cousin Clark, we welcome you to the tribe of your kin. You will always be welcome in our homes. Warm yourself at our fires and partake of our meals.”

“Cousin Moonwater,” Clark said, grateful that he had asked Jor-El about hospitality on Krypton, “I thank you for your welcome. My home is your home, my family your family. Never thirst, but be welcome at my well. Never hunger, but be welcome at my table.”

That got him several smiles and an approving nod from both Joseph and Chief Moonwater. Clark felt a bloom of warmth in his chest. 

“I wonder…” Charles Holdsclaw said into the pleasant silence. “You have given us the name of the father of our tribe. Would you be willing to share with us other knowledge of your people?”

Clark was startled, but intrigued. “I wish I could. Right now, I just don’t know very much. I only recently learned the truth. I thought I was another meteor mutant for most of my life.”

“But you now have access to knowledge of your people…” Mr. Holdsclaw began, and Clark nodded. “Might you be willing to share more as you learn more?”

“Well, it is your history as well. I don’t see why not.” Clark rubbed a hand through his hair. “I’d appreciate if it were kept quiet though. Not everyone would… understand… about me.”

“Your secrets are our secrets,” Chief Moonwater said firmly. “This shall be no more spoken of outside the tribe than our skinwalkers.”

Agreement came from all sides.

“We would be honored to be the knowledge keepers for Krypton,” Mr. Holdsclaw said formally.

“I would be honored to share the tales of our ancestors with my Kawatche cousins,” Clark replied just as formally. “But that leads to my other purpose for coming today.”

“Yes,” Chief Moonwater said. “You mentioned a boon earlier.”

“It is uncertain if I will be able to attend school at Smallville High after taking of so much time to… come to terms with the changes I have endured of late.” Clark gestured at himself and smiled wryly. “I wondered if I might be welcomed into your school if Smallville proves… problematic.”

“Of course you would be welcome, cousin,” Tara Riverbend said. “And as principal, I can sign you up any time.”

“I agree,” Chief Moonwater said. “But perhaps a cover story.”

“I had a thought,” Joseph said, then paused until given direction to continue by Chief Moonwater. “Maria, my youngest sister, left the tribe long ago and never returned. I have long suspected in my heart that she no longer walks the earth. It would not be impossible to suggest that she was returning to the tribe the day of the meteor shower… with a young son.”

“Clark would have been a late child, but it is possible,” Ms. Riverbend said.

“Then it would be possible for me to have an older sister?” Clark said, then froze as all attention turned back to him.

“Why would that matter?” Joseph asked.

Clark could feel his cheeks warm. “Ah, the last few weeks, I’ve been traveling, using the name Clara and pretending to be older… my own older sister.”

“And you wish to keep the persona?” Chief Moonwater asked.

“Well… It was good for getting away… I just… it feels like it would be useful… and Smallville won’t much mind the whole turning into a girl thing…”

“But the rest of the world is welcome to a different explanation,” Mr. Holdsclaw said. “Not unreasonable. We could certainly add records for two people.”

“I’d… appreciate that.” Clark was trying to get himself to stop stuttering so much. Just talk. He could do that, normally.

“Clara and Clark Kent, born of Maria Willowbrook.” Chief Moonwater nodded. “I approve the addition. Though the BIA may be annoying about it.”

“Pity we can’t get DNA evidence,” Tobias Fallsblade said, sarcasm thick in his tone. He’d been the loudest of those who didn’t believe Clark, the one who most clearly wished to dissent but refrained when Chief Moonwater named Clark kin.

Clark thought a moment and began to grin. “I might just have way to do just that.”


End file.
